Take a chance on me
by Sandrine C
Summary: AU after 2x03. Damon takes Elena away from Mystic Falls for one day to confront their issues and take a leap of faith with him.
1. Chapter 1

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

"This is kidnapping Damon!" Elena screamed, "Stop the car!"

"Nope." Damon said, popping his lips together before smiling mischievously

"Let me out! Stop the car!" she yelled again, checking around for her phone, that maybe by some miracle it was on her.

"Yeah, not gonna happen Elena. I will return your phone to you and all other personal effects after this little excursion. All this," Damon said gesturing to both of them "is getting old and it's time we finish this once and for all."

"..out." Elena said, her voice low, "now."

"Or what, Elena? You don't even know where you are, no phone, no money and might I add, no Stefan for miles. He doesn't even know you're gone thanks to my little diversion." Damon said without even glancing at his irate companion

"What did you do?" Elena asked, eyes flashing with anger

"Relax," he responded with a wave of his hand, "No one will get hurt…permanently….I hope."

"What did you do Damon?" she repeated louder, fuming at the man next to her

"Elena, relax. I just let out a dog," he said mumbling the last part out as Elena raised an eyebrow at him," Fine, a dog that was the closest I could find to a werewolf. Let me tell you, not easy to do. I just let it roam around, get some fresh air and stretch its legs a bit. He's just running around, having fun. Harmless fun, I might add. Granted, Stefan might not agree once he finds out that I let him chase after it but hey, so he frowns at me. Big deal. Nothing new there."

"You're incorrigible!" Elena yelled, "Why would you do something like that? What if he lets his guard down next time because he's going to think it's just one of your games?"

"Again, Elena, relax, this isn't the boy who cried wolf. Or some twisted version of it," Damon said trying to put his hand over hers, which she promptly swatted away, crossing her arms in front of her, "Look, I'm sorry I lied to Stefan, and I'm sorry I kidnapped you while you were sleeping—nice pajamas by the way, BUT we're still going through with this. I promise to abide by our road trip rules."

Elena huffed and looked stubbornly out the window as she pretended not to listen to him. Damon sighed and counted off, "Oh Damon, what are those?" he said mimicking Elena, "You mean the rules from before that we sort of agreed on? Well, let's see, one I'll keep you safe. Two, I won't compel you and three, you can trust me—even if everything in you says otherwise."

"Let me out." Elena repeated

"No." Damon said shaking his head, "Look, Elena, just give me this one day. If after this you choose to cut me out of your life, fine, I'll accept it. I won't bother you again. I'll even stop trying to save you. Just give me this."

"I don't owe you anything. No. Stop the car," Elena said stubbornly.

"Open the glove compartment," Damon said calmly

"No." Elena said

"My, my, is that your favorite word? After breaking out with 'incorrigible,' I thought we've progressed to more sophisticated language. Anyway, just open it." Damon said rolling his eyes

She hesitantly reached out and pressed the latch to open it. Inside it was a wooden stake and a vervain dart.

"What the…?" Elena said trailing off, puzzled, unable to connect the dots

"Pick one or both. I don't care. If this is what it takes for you to believe I'm serious that you can trust me, even just for 24 hours, then take it. I won't stop you from using it on me." Damon said with uncharacteristic resignation in his voice

Elena glared at him but shut the compartment without taking anything. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," he said with a satisfied smile on his face, "for now just sit back and enjoy the scenery. There's a rest stop along the way so you can change. Your things are in the trunk and there's breakfast in the bag on the backseat."

Still glaring at Damon, Elena reached around and took the food, taking a peek inside and sniffing the contents.

"Seriously? You think that I went through all of this just to poison your breakfast? I could have done that in Mystic Falls and make appear like an accident." Damon said rolling his eyes

"No, it would be easier this way because you can just get rid of my body by the side of the road or dump me in a ditch." Elena responded after taking a bite

"Nah, I'd take the effort to bury you. I'm not sloppy." Damon responded, "And I really don't think _this_ is easier considering the state of my eardrums after all your yelling. "

"Am I supposed to feel grateful that you'd take the time out to dig out a hole for me?" Elena said sarcastically

"Yes, Elena, because digging is dirty work and I'm wearing a white shirt today." Damon responded, "Look, while I'm grateful that you are no longer on silent or screaming mode, this conversation is not really amusing. I will not, I repeat, I will not allow any harm to come to you today. I will bring you home in one piece, safe, whole and hopefully happy."

"I doubt that," Elena muttered, "if you want me to trust you, give me my phone."

"Uh, no can do Elena. Stefan will be on us like white on rice. Can't let that happen until after we get to do what we have to do. After, let's see. You might need him to come."

"What is it that you intend to do?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with mild curiosity.

"Very simple thing actually," Damon answered with a smile, "I just need you to take a leap of faith with me."

"I should have known you meant 'leap of faith' literally," Elena exclaimed a few hours later, as she looked at the contraption in front of her, "You did all this so you could take me bungee jumping? Are you insane?"

"Maybe." Damon said with a shrug as he stood in front of her

"You want me, to jump off a bridge and plunge into the water. _Me?_ A person who was in a car accident that involved those two things? I almost died, Damon. My parents actually did. The trauma was enough the first time around, Damon, thanks but no thanks." Elena said as she started to walk away angrily

"Don't you think I know that? Don't think for one second that I don't see _you, _that even if Stefan managed to save your life that day, there was still something that died in you." Damon said with his hands firmly planted on her shoulders

"You're supposed to apologize, grovel and beg that I forget you killed Jeremy in front of me. Not this. I never asked for you to save me," Elena said tears forming in the corner of her eyes

"No, that part comes later," Damon said releasing her, straightening up, "I will do all that but I won't be asking you to forget. Even _I_ can tell what's impossible and what's not. But this, I'm not trying to save you, at least not yet. I just need you to find every missing piece of yourself before things hit the fan with this whole Katherine thing. It will and you won't stand a chance if you've got blind spots she can exploit. Stefan is too blind to your seeming perfection and it will cost all of us, you most of all because your life will be on the line for as long as that bitch exists."

He caught a tear with one finger, wiped it away and stepped back, giving her space. "You're not perfect Elena. I can see that. Scarred and hurt in so many ways, I don't think you even recognize yourself anymore. And I'm sorry that I did the one thing that meant you never would. But I'm going to try anyway, to give you even a few seconds to clear your mind and just strip away everything, until the only thing that's left is even a few seconds to clear your mind and just strip away everything, until the only thing that's left is _you_."

Elena closed her eyes and took a deep breath, placing a hand in Damon's outstretched one. "Fine, but if anything happens to me, I'll hate you forever."

Damon's lips instantly twitched into a smirk, "Don't you already?"

Elena rolled her eyes and turned away as she was strapped in. "Hey," she said placing a hand on the attendant as he secured the cord around Damon as well, "wait. What are you doing?"

"He's making sure we don't plummet to an early death Elena," Damon said

"No, I mean why are you being tied to me?" Elena asked

"Oh, yeah that. I figured you might as well even out the damage in my ears by letting you scream in my left ear this time." Damon said pointing to the left side of his head, "Did you really thing I was going to let you do this alone?"

"I thought you were going to shove me off the damn bridge Damon," Elena said glaring at him

"Never," he said taking her arms and putting it around him, before reaching out and locking his arms around her waist, "Ready?"

"Nope." Elena said honestly, looking into his eyes, tightening her hold on him

"I know, but we're going to jump anyway," he said, "Clear your head. Don't think. One, two, three."

Elena closed her eyes and everything just fell away as they plunged head first, everything inside her freezing before tumbling all together. The sensation of falling taking over, making her feel cold and disoriented, as she screamed her lungs out. The rush was overwhelming her senses, making her feel like she was going to black out as she spun out of control.

And then she opened her eyes and it was over. She was still alive and she felt it. Every fiber of her being screamed, finally awake from a slumber she wasn't even aware of. Everything locked in place again and all she could see was Damon staring into her eyes, half-worried but half-amused as he searched into her. Elena just looked at him as the rope continued to fluctuate, moving them up and down until their fingers could graze the water. As he watched her, Elena could see everything in his eyes, even the repentance she didn't want to acknowledge.

"Elena, I'm going to release us and we'll fall into the water but I got you okay? I'm not letting you go." Damon said reassuringly, waiting for her to nod before he did it

With a splash, Elena felt herself sink and for a second she flailed about, reliving the sensation of almost drowning. Panic seized her for a few seconds before Damon's strong hand pulled her up and her face broke through the surface.

"See, not so bad right?" Damon said laughing.

"Very bad Damon, very, very, _very _bad." Elena said shivering as she swam away from him.

"Elena…" Damon called out to her, disappointment laced in his tone.

She grabbed a towel from the staff waiting for them, thanking her quickly before stalking away to sit on a boulder just by the edge of the water.

Damon followed and sat down next to her, "How badly did I screw this up?"

Elena sighed as she turned her body away from Damon, "Too risky Damon. You brought the nightmare to life Damon—that it could happen again. In so many different ways, the danger is real and you just had to come out and make me see that."

"Because I want you to survive Elena, and the only way that's going to happen is if your eyes are wide open."

"You didn't screw up Damon. Not on this. But setting me on the path to overcoming my fears, helping me realize I can survive it again and again, doesn't really change things. I can still feel the horror of watching you _kill_ my brother. Damon, do you really think there's a way to get past that?"

Damon bowed his head, "That's my cue for phase 2."

He pulled out something from beside the rock, a small plastic bag, and handed it to her. "Open it."

Elena pulled out her phone and a wooden stake, before looking quizzically at Damon.

"Call him, and ask him to pick you up." Damon said gesturing towards the phone

"And this?" Elena said lifting the stake

"…is what you'll use to kill me." Damon said looking straight at her, "That's why you need an alternative ride home."

"I'm not a murderer Damon." Elena said, "Don't make me one. Look, don't bully me into forgiving you by saying you'll die otherwise."

"No, Elena I'm saying I don't have the right to ask for it anymore. I can only say I'm sorry and that's it. I've lost you forever remember?" Damon said with a bitter smile on his face

"I'm not going to kill you." Elena said throwing the stake at him

"Why not? I'm a monster Elena, you'll do the world a bit of good and Bonnie will be so proud of you for finishing me off." Damon said trying to hand back the weapon

"Because I can't. Okay? Just drop it and drive me home." Elena said standing up

Damon rose to face her, "Why not Elena? I'm dangerous. I can't promise you I won't lose control like that ever again. I can only keep trying but I'll never be good. Not in the way you want me to be to stay in your world."

Elena looked at him, struggling with what to say as Damon looked defeated in front of her, "Bring me home. You promised. Please Damon."

"Okay, I've never been suicidal but now seems like a good time to start." Damon said flipping the stake and positioning it over his heart

Elena ran to him and put her hand over his, "Stop it. Is this the clear head you've been bragging about getting after jumping? Damon, why do you want me to watch you die? Have you gone completely insane and cruel?"

"Maybe. But normally to deal with that I shut off my emotions but haven't been able to do lately. So, like I said. This ends today."

"Do you really want me to see this or do you just want me to stop you? Because you could have done this alone, when I wouldn't suspect it and yet here we are," Elena said not letting go of her grip on his hand

"Neither, I just wanted to be selfish one last time and die in your arms," Damon said with heartbreaking honesty, his voice caught as he swallowed the lump on his throat

"Well that's not going to be today." Elena said tugging his hand away, taking the stake from him, "or any other day. I refuse to let you die on me."

"Why?" Damon asked quietly

"I don't know," Elena said, clenching her jaw tightly, "I don't have answers Damon. I just know that no matter how much I hate you right now, the world won't make sense to me if you're dead."

Damon took a step closer and faced her squarely, "I'll ask you again, have I lost you forever?"

Elena closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Just take me home and promise me that you won't try to kill yourself again."

"Answer the question, Elena."

"Promise me, Damon."

"Answer."

"Promise."

Damon sighed, "Fine, I promise. Answer?"

"I can't forgive you just yet." Elena said softly

"You didn't answer the question." Damon pointed out

"I know."

"Elena."

"Damon, just stay alive."

"Still not an answer." Damon said shaking his head, standing his ground

"Well, it's the only one I can give you right now because after scaring me like that, it's the only thing I can think of."

"So let me just get this straight, I'm supposed to stay alive but out of your way?" Damon said

"Yes." Elena replied

"How will you know I'm still alive if you refuse to see me?" Damon said raising his eyebrows

"Stefan will tell me." Elena replied

"Assuming I stick around Mystic Falls to carry out your orders, "he countered, "I can always go to another country and be psychotic and/or suicidal there."

"Don't force an answer out of me Damon. Twisting around logic won't accomplish anything." Elena said

"Or what?" Damon said

"Is it not enough that I need you alive?" Elena exploded, "Can't you let this go? I don't have an answer for you Damon."

Damon stared at her for awhile before nodding, "You do. But you're not ready to say it. I can wait. Apparently life doesn't end for me today so I can wait. Let's get you home."

"I'll sleep on the way back so don't bother bringing this up again," Elena said

"You'll pretend to sleep but okay I won't bother asking. Not today." Damon replied

"Promise me." Elena said

"So many promises you're asking me to make Elena. Do you want the moon and the stars too?"

"Damon…" she said with a warning in her tone

"I promise, I promise." Damon said with his hands up in the air, "Anything else?"

"Yes, don't stop trying." Elena said, her voice thick with emotion

"What?" Damon asked confused

"Don't stop trying to make up for what you did. Just don't stop trying. Please." Elena said, before turning around to walk alone to the car, hugging herself as she did, as if it would be enough to keep her life from falling apart.

* * *

_**A/N: Tempted to leave this as a one-shot but there seems to be something more here. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this :) Thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Step back

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 2: Step back**

"Damon! Open the door, Damon!" Elena called out while simultaneously banging on the front door, "Damon!"

She lifted her hand to knock again but instead she hit the air and Damon neatly caught her hand mid-swing. "Wow, you really like screaming don't you? Lost your key? I thought brother dear already gave you one. He's not here, just FYI. Run along now."

Elena squinted at him, pulling away her wrist, and stepped around him to walk into the living room. "I know he's not here. Stefan was the one who told me you were here. He just forgot to mention you weren't in a good mood."

"Who? Me?" Damon said pointing to himself, feigning innocence, "When have I ever been in a bad mood Elena? Am I not the bright spot of every single sunshine filled day?"

"Drunk?" Elena asked pointblank

"Nope, just very annoyed that you disturbed my bubble bath, Elena. What do you want?" Damon said irritably

"Let's go." Elena said gesturing to the door

"What?" Damon said frowning at her, not moving an inch

"Let's go. Do you want me to spell that out or something? I don't have all day," Elena said impatiently

"Neither do I, so make your point and make it quick." Damon said crossing his arms on his chest, "Go where? And more importantly, why?"

"Did I ask you these many questions when you_ kidnapped_ me? At least I'm asking you, nicely." Elena said glaring at Damon

"You don't have a choice, not like you can carry me to your car. You have to ask or your little plan won't work. Answer the questions Elena, because unlike you, I guess I do have all day and an eternity after that to keep you waiting until you tell me."

"No, just trust me." Elena replied stubbornly

"Then take Stefan. He'll blindly follow you off a cliff but I won't. Crazy but not stupid, Elena." Damon retorted

"This isn't about him. It's about you." Elena said taking a step towards him, "You're the one who wanted to make things right, spend time together as if nothing changed and now you're standing there like it's such a punishment to even look at me?"

"Yes, it's torture Elena. To look at you standing here, in _this _house, because in case you've forgotten—you look like Katherine," Damon said bluntly, his face void of the emotion that was rolling off him in waves

Elena took a deep breath and took another step closer to him, "Which is why I'm asking you, please, let's go."

"You're beginning to sound like a broken record Elena, doesn't suit you at all." Damon said shaking his head, refusing to budge

"Damon, asking for forgiveness and wanting to stay in my life means that you don't just need me to trust you again but you have to trust _me_ too. So, I'm asking you now, trust me. Let's go." Elena said forcefully, taking the last step to close the distance between them so they were only inches apart.

"Only if you let me drive, you have slow reflexes." Damon said holding out one hand for the keys

"I do not. I was fast enough to get in between you and Caroline when you wanted to kill her and also, fast enough to stop Bonnie from burning you alive." Elena countered as she dropped the keys onto his palm

"Ah, but not fast enough to run away the first time we met. But here we are since you apparently can't last 2 weeks without me." Damon said waving his hand, "After you, Elena."

"Three weeks, and I would have lasted a whole lot longer than that," Elena said as she walked out the door

"Obviously…not." Damon said as he opened the passenger door for her, "Hating me doesn't mean you don't miss me. Admit it."

"Never," Elena said rolling her eyes, "Why would I miss you? You annoy."

"In a totally endearing way," Damon said fluttering his eyelids at her, "Seriously, what's with the visit that couldn't wait another lifetime?"

"Shut up and drive us out of town. I'll give you further instructions from there." Elena said ignoring his question

Damon stared at her until she took the key from him and put it in the ignition, turning it so the car purred to life, "Drive, Damon. Go."

"You're a walking contradiction you know that? You tell me to stay the hell away, but you want me around. You want me alive but not in your life. You want me to shut up but you obviously want to hear some specific words from me. A lesser being would have run away from you by now." Damon said as he eased out of the driveway, "And I have no idea why I'm still here, much less driving you to points unknown."

"Yeah, well, you're not exactly the running away kind. You're more of run headfirst into danger without thinking kind of guy, so, lucky me." Elena muttered

"You're not dangerous, Elena. You're fairly harmless," Damon countered

"Not to you. Apparently, I'm a danger to you. I _can_ hurt you." Elena said softly

Damon clenched his jaw and his lips formed a tight line, "You get a free pass. I did horrible things to you so I'm letting you bleed me out. Should be okay—it's worth it."

"Not okay. Damon, don't be an idiot. What will it accomplish if I hurt you? Nothing. In the end, we'll just end up wounded but no closer to forgiveness. I need to forgive you, not watch you suffer. There's a difference."

They drove in silence, until they reached the edge of the town and Damon pulled over.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked slowly looking carefully at Damon if he just lost his mind

"New rules, the moment we step out of the town limits, we don't bring up the last few months. No Stefan, no Katherine, no Jeremy and no other resident of Mystic Falls that has even the smallest bit of reason to drive us further apart. Just you and me when we cross that line, until we come back home. I'm not asking you to forgive and forget—just let go for a few hours or this trip ends up in tears and misery. With me, Elena?" Damon asked extending his hand to her

Elena eyed him, with a flicker of doubt in her eye that vanished the second she placed her hand in his and shook it.

"Now, drive." Elena said, sitting back and turning up the music, tapping the rhythm against her window, fighting the wish in her that they'd never have to go back from that invisible line.

* * *

"Are we lost Elena?" Damon teased, "I really think we should ask that nice young lady over there."

"No! I know where we are! You just want an excuse to flirt." Elena said stubbornly, staring out the back of the car, trying to figure out which turn they missed

"Me? Flirt? Come on, I'm just trying to save us time since we're obviously _lost_." Damon emphasized

"Just turn around, and we'll retrace from the last turn we made," Elena insisted

"Hmmm, no sorry. I'm driving so I get to make the call. We're asking for directions."

"What happened to trusting me?" Elena said narrowing her eyes at him

"With my life? Yes, I trust you. But your sense of direction, I totally lost faith in that three wrong turns ago. So we ask her," Damon said pulling over to the left side of the road, right in front of the young girl by a bus stop.

"Hi," Damon said to the girl who stood outside Elena's window, "We're lost, can you help us find the address that my trusty navigator will now hand to you?"

Elena glared at Damon before reluctantly handing over the small slip of paper in her hand, "Hi, sorry my friend is rude. Would you know where this is?"

"Yeah, just turn around and make the first right you see," the girl said staring past Elena, watching Damon make faces mocking his companion, trying to ignore the word Elena used to describe him, dousing the flame of hope that threatened to bring out emotions he worked so hard to suppress.

"Real mature Damon, I can see your reflection on the side mirror," Elena called back to him before turning again to the girl who now wore a smile on her face, "Thanks for the help!"

"Bye! And thanks!" Damon said before making a u-turn, "See was that so hard?"

"Whatever, just drive," Elena said waving him off, "We're almost there."

"Yeah, can you already tell me where exactly we're going? Is it the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?" Damon asked suspiciously

"You'll know it when you see it. Hard to miss," Elena said craning her neck trying to see around the bend they just turned into, "And there it is!"

Damon turned to her in disbelief, "A carnival? Did the last one not traumatize you enough to stay the hell away from these things?"

"Eyes on the road Damon," Elena said tapping the side of his cheek so he faced ahead, "And no talking of what happened before, remember?"

"This is lame. We could have gone to the mall and had more fun throwing coins from a moving escalator." Damon complained

"Just park there and let's go!" Elena said bouncing in her seat, her excitement getting the best of her.

Damon couldn't help but smile and shake his head, "Fine. But I'm not going to win you anything. And you owe me cotton candy."

* * *

"You can't be this good. You must be cheating Elena," Damon exclaimed as Elena took the fluffy unicorn from the booth personnel, "You can cast an entire children's show with all the stuffed animals you won."

"Hey, don't rain on my parade Damon. You might have all your super abilities but you don't have the skills to put a ring on a bottle or pop balloons with a dart. It takes serious skills." Elena said with mock seriousness before bursting out with laughter, clear and loud, ringing around them as if it were music

"Okay, now what? We're stuffed with hotdogs and popcorn, not to mention the sugar high from all that candy. I look like a Christmas tree what with all these toys hanging on me. Have we missed anything?" Damon said looking at the Ferris wheel.

Elena glanced at it and shook her head, "No, not that. It's not for us. How about the haunted house?"

"What?" Damon said incredulously, "You freaking live in the town equivalent of that, which is infinitely more realistic and scary."

"Come on, it should be fun. We can mock it. Don't you want to see a _real_ vampire?" Elena said wiggling her eyebrows

"Fine," Damon said following her as she bought the tickets, depositing the stuffed toys with the attendant before going in, "Elena it's not even dark in here."

"Will you stop complaining? Just go with it. Let's see, we need to go through this room and two more to get out."Elena said as a fake ghoul blasted the cabinet doors open right next to them.

Damon shook his head and slammed it shut on the ghoul, whose very human cry of pain was muffled through the door.

"Yeah, better luck next time man. And no, your nose isn't broken," Damon muttered as they continued to walk slowly through the room.

Elena rolled her eyes, but smiled as she hopped to the side to evade a hand that reached out for her ankle from beneath a table, "See, I have fast reflexes. Okay, ready for the next room?"

Damon turned the knob and opened the door, "After you."

The next room was pitch dark and eerily silent. None of the fake haunted house sounds made it through the door once it closed behind them. It was like a void and no light or sound escaped.

Damon could hear Elena's heart beat steadily faster by the second and he reached out for her but something cold ran in between them. Elena's blood curdling scream rang out in the two seconds it took for Damon to pull her into him tightly, his entire body tense and on alert, guessing if this was just part of the effects or if there was real danger around them.

Damon's back stiffened as he sensed it come back and slowly creep towards them, lifting Elena's hair by the end. His hand flew out and grabbed the wrist, "I'd let go of that if I were you. Come on. Drop it and walk away."

"Dude, what a buzz kill, this is what you're paying for. I scare her so you get to hold her in your arms and be the hero," said the teenager who pulled his hand away from Damon.

"Sorry, more villain than hero, so I'd stay away if you know what's good for you." Damon threatened, holding Elena against him with one arm, waiting for her pulse to slow to a more normal pace

"Whatever man, door's that way, just go. There are more 'fun' people coming so if you'll excuse me," the teenager said walking back into his corner to await the next customers

Damon sighed and steered Elena out the door, "Come on, let's go, my brave little 'fraidy cat."

Elena frowned, "Not cat. Not _Kat_."

He sighed again, and led her through the rooms silently, speaking only once they were outside. "Yes, not _Kat_. So, does this mean it's time for you to tell me what's really going on?"

Elena drew out a long breath and nodded, sitting down on a stone bench underneath a tree. "Sit."

Damon obediently sat down, leaving space between them to place his hands on the bench and grip the edge, needing to hold on to something anchored to the ground as he waited for her to speak.

"She told Stefan, and he told me." Elena started slowly, "What she said to you that night…when you killed Jeremy."

"Who?" Damon asked quietly knowing the answer.

"Katherine." Elena said simply, "She said she never really loved you, that it was always Stefan."

Damon exhaled loudly and laughed bitterly, "Wow, who knew it would still hurt to hear that. Granted, your voice being the exact copy of hers doesn't really help make it _less_ heartbreaking. Thanks a bunch, Elena."

"Damon, I'm not saying that snapping Jeremy's neck is acceptable given that, I mean what she did to you. But what I'm trying to tell you is that even if it goes against everything that makes sense in this universe, I understand. I get it. I get you."

"No, you don't." Damon said softly, "That hurt. What she did, it was brutal. It's painful, like I was lit on fire and everyone just kept fanning the flames. It still does but it's not the kicker, Elena."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked looking sideways at him as he stared hard at the ground

"Nothing, look, we should head back." Damon said standing up

"Why didn't you just tell me what she did when you came to my house? We could have avoided all of this if you just said something."

"Words are overrated. The supposed love of my life basically told me I wasted more than a century of this cursed existence, when I could have just done something better with my time than wait for a comet. I didn't need to talk Elena. I just needed to feel _something_." Damon answered with his eyes closed

"And killing my brother accomplished that?" Elena asked sharply

He shook his head, "No. I did that because I wanted to be the vampire that I am, a monster. I wanted a trigger to force me to shut down all my emotions because I was too close to the edge and the fall was too far. I couldn't even see the bottom."

Damon smiled into the distance, his eyes full of remorse and remembrance, "But when I heard you scream and fall to your knees, when I looked at you, I couldn't shut it off. I felt your pain. I felt my guilt. And even I couldn't forgive myself. So here we are."

Elena stood up and stared at him, rendered speechless by his honesty. She felt raw as she watched him place his hands in his pockets as he walked away towards the exit, "Let's go. We both know _we _can't forgive me just yet, so let's just go home."

"Wait," Elena called out, waiting for Damon to face her, "what's the kicker? What made you lose it?"

Damon knitted his eyebrows, debating whether or not to say the truth, "Past tense. Katherine told me she never _loved_ me, that it _was_ always Stefan. Past hurts, I'll get over that."

"But?" Elena asked, swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat

"Present and future—how do you deal with any reason to hope crushed in just a few words, Elena? I believe you said _you_ care about me, but that _you_ love Stefan. It's _always going to be_ Stefan. Past, present and future. I lost one to Katherine and two to _you_. I had nothing to live for and I knew it. Even before I killed your brother, I already knew I lost you."

Damon smiled tightly and turned around again to continue walking, "Let's go," he called out, "It's late."

Elena stood silently, waiting until he was out of earshot, before falling apart and letting the sobs escape her, whispering the words they both should have heard that night, before it was too late.

"But I lied. Damon, _I lied."_


	3. Chapter 3: Ready, set, go

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 3: Ready, set, go**

"Pining away for the blond one?" Damon asked Caroline as he sat next to her, leaning against the picnic table behind them.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you." Caroline huffed, crossing her arms and moving away from him.

"Didn't Stefan cover in Vampire 101 that you shouldn't piss off older vampires because they're stronger than you, i.e. me?" Damon said looking at her sideways, "Relax, I just wanted to talk, and seeing that you're also alone, I figured let's make good on the whole misery loving company."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I don't feel like being manipulated today, especially not by you." Caroline said standing up

Damon pulled her down by the hand, forcing her to sit back down, "Now, don't be rude, little new vampire. And here I was, feeling all generous enough to impart some wisdom of my own. See, I know Stefan has been showing you the ropes of how to live off forest critters and frown upon the rest of us who prefer tasty old human blood. BUT I think, considering the flourishing state of his own love story, crazy ex not considered, he's not exactly in the state to teach you how to deal with a broken undead heart. And that's where I come in. I've been around just as long, so I'm also qualified to be your mentor, at least in this respect."

Caroline knitted her eyebrows as Damon loosened his grip on her, making no move to leave this time. "What do you mean?"

"Well, there are several options. One, you tell him. Not happening right? Blondie doesn't seem like the type who can handle the supernatural. I bet blood makes him queasy. Two, you turn him. But that would mean that you do what Bonnie probably asked not to do—kill anyone or she ends you. So Matt just ends up alone for the rest of eternity. Third option is to give in to your instincts and shut off all emotion. It's the easiest, simplest and most effective, but will also guarantee Bonnie giving you a killer migraine, literally."

"You mean I can just not care that Matt is talking to that girl right now?" Caroline said

"If by talking you mean flirting, then yes. But it is also likely that you'll end up feeding on both of them, out of rage or simple hunger, if you do." Damon answered

"But you've tried it? To just switch it all off." Caroline said hesitantly, facing Damon, "What's it like? To not feel…"

Damon sighed and leaned back, his elbows on the table, "Elena will kill me for saying this. Well she'd kill me for a variety of reasons, and this might actually be the least of those. But I digress. Yes, I have tried it, obviously. Why do you think I used you before without a care in the world? You're not exactly my type you know. I didn't really have any reason to go after you or keep you alive other than you were conveniently…there, and had access to Elena."

Caroline glared at him and Damon held up a hand, "Let me finish. You don't exactly lose the emotions. It's just there, compartmentalized somewhere inside you, muted somehow. You know it's there but you can ignore it so that you can go after what you need or want at the moment. Say you want blood, but that means you hurt someone right? So flip the switch and you don't feel the guilt of bleeding someone out as you feed. You're aware you should feel something but your mind just shoves it away in a dark corner where it can get dusty until you forget it was even there in the first place."

"And since you're being all nice now, I'm guessing gates are open and you've cleaned out the dusty places of your mind." Caroline said peering into his eyes

"Yes, hence the broken undead heart and the apology I owe you. For what it's worth, I never wanted you to turn. I really just wanted you to not be dead—for Elena's sake, your mother's and heck, even for Bonnie. I should have been specific on what kind of not dead I wanted you to be but hey, damage done and I'm here to help now with picking up the pieces." Damon said with a shrug, trying to brush off the moment

"Say the words Damon." Caroline prompted

He let out an exaggerated sigh, "I'm sorry Caroline, for being a jackass and being part of the whole craziness that made you into a vampire."

Caroline tilted her head and looked at Damon curiously, "Are you sure you and Stefan are brothers?"

Damon laughed, "Without a doubt. Let's continue, shall we? Since being all primal isn't feasible for you, you only have two options left. One is to stay here, grin and bear it—even if you feel like someone is clawing at your insides."

"You mean just watch him fall for someone else, and be happy about it?" Caroline said incredulously

"And occasionally save his life, yes. Humans are pretty fragile and tend to get into all sorts of accidents. Look, I didn't say it's an easy thing to do. I'm just saying it's an option. You don't have to be_ happy_ about it. Pretending you are works just fine." Damon said

"But that hurts." Caroline said, sounding like a little girl, looking in Matt's direction, clutching her hand to her chest as if she could touch her heart.

"Like I said, not easy but at least you still get to see him. You still get to be in his life, make sure he's fine and just be _there_." Damon said looking in the other direction, where Elena stood with Stefan's arms around her, "Just stay away from important people in their lives when you feel the least bit unstable. You might snap a neck or two without meaning to."

"Uh, okay" Caroline said confused, "And what's the other thing I can do?"

Damon turned to her, a wistful smile on his face, "You walk away. Right here, right now. Go see the world and just distract yourself until he dies. Then you just mourn for the rest of eternity."

Caroline placed her hands on the bench on either side of her, swinging her legs beneath her, "I can't do that. I don't think I can, even if I tried."

"I know." Damon said turning again to watch Elena laughing at something Stefan said, "I haven't been able to do it myself."

"Oh," Caroline said when she looked up and followed Damon's line of sight

"What do you mean 'oh'?" Damon said looking at her sharply

"You love Elena." Caroline said simply.

Damon squeezed his eyes shut as he leaned back his head to face the sky. "Yes," he gritted out.

"Wow." Caroline said quietly

"Shocking. I know." Damon said shaking his head

"Well, no not shocking. Everyone falls for Ms. Perfect and I mean _every_ guy who's met her." Caroline explained

"So what's with the 'wow'?" Damon said finally opening his eyes to look straight at Caroline

"That you're not fighting for her. You're just sitting there, watching her with your _brother_, letting them trample all over your heart, which BTW I did not know existed until now." Caroline said with a puzzled look on her face

"Not allowed to fight, for many reasons, some of which are unforgivable. And also, she doesn't feel that way about me and she's been very clear about that. Too clear, crystal clear, in fact, it's burned into my brain just how much she's against the whole thing." Damon said breaking eye contact

"Uh, no, I disagree. Even someone as self-involved as I am can see that's not the case," Caroline said shaking her head, "I saw you and Elena dance at the Ms. Mystic Falls Pageant."

Damon rolled his eyes, "Not proof enough. You were also dancing that day, with some random stranger that I'm pretty sure you're not in love with right now. That theory is very flimsy Caroline."

"That's the point, I saw you guys. Everyone else saw you. But you didn't see _us. _Elena didn't see _us_. It didn't seem like you noticed that we were even there when the music started. How can you exist in a moment with just one other person, letting the rest of the world just fall away, and come out of it thinking you don't have a chance?" Caroline said gently as she stood to leave, "You may have been around longer, and you know more about this vampire stuff more than I do BUT I've known Elena longer."

Damon watched Caroline walk away to join her friends, Bonnie shooting him a look of pure hatred as he did. He responded with a wide smile of his own before getting up to leave, not noticing Elena was already standing beside the table.

"What did you tell Caroline?" Elena asked him sharply

"Jealous? I didn't know I wasn't allowed to talk to other girls." Damon said with a smirk, "Don't worry, I still think you're more fun than Caroline."

"Damon, what did you tell her?" Elena repeated with more force

Damon held both palms up, "Geez, paranoid today are we? Everything we discussed was strictly PG-13... sort of. Nothing to worry about. So if I were you, I'd ease up on the frown because unlike dear Caroline, who will forever be a teenager, you're still a candidate for premature aging and wrinkles."

"Damon…" Elena said with a warning, "She's still confused about all this so don't put any ideas in her head. It's tough enough that Matt broke up with her. She's unstable as it is, don't add to it."

Damon rolled his eyes, "Vicki's already dead so there's no danger of any sibling neck snapping if that's what you're hinting at."

Elena recoiled like she was slapped and instantly Damon regretted saying the words. But he followed through, clinging to his pride, "Can't get past it if the words can't be said. Dirty little secrets stay dingy if we don't air them out."

She closed her eyes, visibly counting in her head, trying to keep her composure.

"Sorry. Elena, I'm sorry I said that." Damon said with a sigh, his hand reaching out to her, that Elena promptly swatted away, "My mouth has this unfortunate tendency to not wait for my brain to process my thoughts."

"I get that it's easier for you to be sarcastic and cover up whatever emotions haven't died in you yet. I get that it's not in your nature to apologize but you're trying, in your own twisted way, to apologize because you recognize you did something horribly wrong. But you know what I don't get, Damon? Is why you need to keep hurting me in the process and keep reminding me of reasons _not_ to forgive you."

"But you want to." Damon said matter-of-factly

Elena narrowed her eyes and remained silent, staring him down.

"I believe, 'duh' is the word you're looking for." Damon said with an apologetic smile, "Look, I just told her what Stefan is obviously not telling her."

"And that would be?" Elena asked with raised eyebrows

"That she won't get Stefan's happily ever after," Damon said, "Because like it or not, unless some miracle happens that Matt learns about her new feeding habits and is okay with it or joins her in this party of a cursed life, her heart's going to stay broken. She needs to deal with that."

Damon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Elena, she can either stay here and accept that or she gets the chance to walk away_ now_ before she resorts to switching off her humanity, which would mean you'll be in the middle of a catfight between her and Bonnie. I wouldn't place my bets on that one because _no one_ will come out of that a winner. I'm just trying to help her, and maybe finally do something right by you. It's not enough to make up for my monumental screw up but it's not a bad thing isn't it?"

"Okay." Elena said quietly

"Okay." Damon responded in the same tone, before turning around

"Wait, where are you going?" Elena called out

Damon faced her again, "Home. I've filled my daily quota of self-pity by watching you and Stefan make-out so now I'll go get drunk where I can't hurt anyone."

"You won't wait for the fireworks?" Elena asked hesitantly, trying to hide the fact she wanted him to stay.

"Not unless it will spell out the words I need to say to get you to forgive me or make you forget that night." Damon said bluntly

"Is it always one step forward and two steps back with you? Do you have this pathological need to walk away when something is beginning to move in the right direction?" Elena asked frustrated, "Why do I even reach out to someone who is already running away?"

"Maybe you also have a quota to fill on reforming psychopathic vampires?" Damon asked

"Maybe I should stop trying?" Elena countered, challenging him

Damon just rolled his eyes, "You wouldn't. For some reason, it's part of your DNA to tirelessly want to straighten me out. Fine, I'll stay. I won't enjoy it but I'll watch. For you."

Elena shook her head in frustration, "Why do we always have to argue about every little thing? I bet if I ask you to just stand there, we'd fight about that too."

Damon just smiled and shrugged, "It's who we are Elena. I wouldn't have it any other way."

He walked beside Elena towards the picnic blankets where everyone waited for the fireworks display.

Everyone but Katherine, who stood by the edge of the forest watching Elena sit in the middle of the Salvatore brothers. She watched as Elena turned her head to talk to Stefan, smiling at him, while the rest of her body leaned just the slightest bit to the right—where Damon sat trying carefully not to let anyone see how he kept Elena within his peripheral vision, his body leaning slightly to the left towards her.

"Well, this is unexpected." Katherine whispered into the night, "but most certainly intriguing. We seem to have more in common than I originally thought, Elena. I believe it's time we had some _fun._"


	4. Chapter 4: : Let the games begin

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 4: Let the games begin**

"She's back," Elena said the second Damon opened the door. She tried to get in but his outstretched arm across the door frame stopped her.

"Well, hello to you too Elena. Charming evening is it not?" Damon said

"Damon, did you not hear me? _She's_ back." Elena repeated trying to push away Damon's hand but he held firm.

"_She_ has a name. It's Katherine. And yes, I know. I was just on my merry little way to find her when lo and behold I open my door and here you are, with your angsty brother, no less. Now, if you'll excuse me it's time for me to go." Damon said with one hand on Elena's shoulder to push her aside.

But this time it was Elena who blocked his path, "No you're not. You are staying here where I can see you. Stefan is already out there tracking her down. Bonnie and Caroline are helping."

"Yeah, I can't connect those dots to what _I _want to do so I'm still going. I'm not going to babysit you two so Stefan can have all the fun. There's a ton of vervain in the basement and all sorts of wood for Jeremy to practice whittling in case you run into any trouble, plus we also have cable TV. Enjoy."

"We're here to babysit _you, _Damon," Elena said matter-of-factly, shoving Damon backwards with both hands, "See _you're_ one who is reduced to absolute immaturity when it comes to her, so you stay put and we're going to watch you do just that."

"I'm very stable." Damon said with raised eyebrows, "Unlike the person who thought this is a bright idea. It's not Elena. Come on, what's the worst I can do? Rip her head off? That's the plan anyway right?"

"What's the worst you can do?" Elena asked incredulous, "Do you really want to go down _that_ road?"

Damon glared at her, eyes wandering to the teenage boy behind her, "Fine. You can come in."

"Thank you." Elena said stepping inside, motioning for Jeremy to follow.

"Ah, but not him, not yet anyway," Damon said stretching his arm across the door frame right after Elena passed, "Hands up Jeremy. I want to see that gaudy ring on your finger before you enter."

Jeremy shook his head but raised his hands, making a point to position his ring finger close to Damon's eyes, "Happy? You can't murder me tonight."

"Oh yeah, last I checked the person who last wore that landed in a hospital because someone chopped off his fingers. I have knives too you know." Damon said glaring back

"Damon!" Elena warned, "I wouldn't make jokes like that."

"I just did." Damon said stepping aside to let Jeremy in, "but in honor of our little impromptu slumber party I'll stop."

"Whipped," Jeremy muttered under his breath as he passed Damon.

Damon's mouth fell open and he made a move to grab Jeremy's shirt but Elena stepped in between them and placed a hand on his chest to keep him in place.

"Stop. I swear Damon, look at him wrong one more time and—"Elena started

"And what, Elena? Let's just cut to the chase, I'm all talk and so are you. I already promised myself I'm not going to hurt you, so it goes without saying, Jeremy, Stefan's star pupil in brooding, will stay safe under my watch. And in return, you will watch me like a hawk tonight so I don't go charging out and losing control. Happy?"

Elena's hand dropped and her face softened as she looked at him, "No. Because I still can't get past it, I still can't find it in me to forgive you."

Damon titled his head and smiled at her, the expression on his eyes bittersweet, "Well, what can I say, I'm easier to hate than love. At least you trust me right? To be around him, to be around _you_ and to protect you tonight."

They stared at one another, losing track of time, and just kept fighting the instinct to move a little closer to just hold each other. At least until Damon's phone rang, shattering the moment into oblivion.

Damon held her gaze as he lifted the phone to his ear, "Yes, she's here. I won't try anything funny. I'll even feed them. No, not _on_ them Stefan. Are you deaf? There's frozen pizza somewhere in this house that has their names on it. Give me a little credit. Yeah, uhuh, bye Stefan, happy hunting. Stake her in the heart for me. Love you too Stef."

He placed the phone in his pocket, shrugging to Elena, "Sorry, I'd have passed the phone but I'm not up for suppressing jealousy tonight. Come on, the growing teenager needs to be fed."

* * *

"Remind me why you didn't send your brother with Jenna and Alaric on that trip to sunny California? He fits right in as the third wheel." Damon asked as Jeremy swiped the last slice of the pizza

"Damon just heat the other pizza up if you still want some more." Elena said rolling her eyes but making no move to lift her legs from Damon's lap.

"And leave you two alone to plot my untimely demise? I don't think so," he said, eyeing Jeremy as he took huge bites out of his slice, smiling as he finished it off

"Untimely? You should have been dead a long time ago," Jeremy pointed out

Damon opened his mouth to retort but saw Elena give him a look, "Apparently, I'm not allowed to comment on that either even if I'm not the only one in this room overdue for a headstone. Oh, would you look at that. I still said it. Boo-freaking-hoo, Elena."

"You're impossible, Damon." Elena said with resignation, "_I'll_ go."

"Why do you goad her?" Jeremy asked when Elena was out of the room, "I mean you do want to get back in her good graces right?"

"Yes and that's why you got the last slice. I could have beaten you to it but being the remorseful vampire, I _let_ you have it." Damon said with a satisfied smirk with his logic.

Jeremy shook his head and ignored his comment, "I've gotten over you killing me. It was insanely scary but I'm still here. I could have killed you like I wanted that night. But I didn't because I knew it wouldn't change anything. I didn't want to stand for that and it wouldn't help Elena any if I did that. I'd hurt her not you."

Damon straightened up, his face twisted midway between a scowl and a frown, "Your point?"

"You're quite dense aren't you?" Jeremy said with a small laugh, "Would it hurt you not to throw in her face just how capable you are of doing the very things that would mean she'd lose you for good? Dude, I'd stop threatening important people in her life because you're making it hard for her to justify keeping you in it. Stop pushing her away. You're a vampire who cares, it's not that horrible. You can still wear black to make you look cool and scary."

Damon clenched his jaw as he leaned forward, closed his eyes and rested his elbows on his knees, "Remember what I told you? About how much easier it is to live with your emotions switched off? Those are a vampire's natural instincts—to not feel. Everything about this situation is counterintuitive to that. It takes _effort_, Jeremy, to fight that and be someone who can be around your sister. The fact that I'm right here talking, of all things, and not out there chasing after that crazy bitch means I'm _trying_. Believe me, those little quips are necessary to let out a little bit of the pressure building up inside or I explode right here and now. Elena is right, I'm still unstable, just knowing Katherine is still walking around this planet. So yes, Jeremy, it would hurt to not at least say what's in my head because it's the only thing keeping me from tearing out of this room like a madman."

"Are you really related to Stefan?" Jeremy asked quizzically

"Why do people keep asking that!" Damon exclaimed throwing his hands in the air

"Asking what?" Elena said stepping into the room, placing the pizza on the table in front of Damon, who promptly took a slice

"If Stefan is really my brother!" Damon said, taking a bite, chewing and narrowing his eyes at Jeremy at the same time

"Yeah I've wondered about that too but it makes sense after a while." Elena said as she leaned back on the side of the couch propping her legs on his lap again

"And…? Care to share why Elena?" Damon prompted, ignoring Jeremy's curious glances their way

"Okay, you just express yourselves in different extremes but you're passionate, loyal and honest—although you, I would describe more as blunt." Elena said, "And you seem to have the same taste in women."

"Are you trying to say something Elena?" Damon said with a wicked gleam in his eye

"Not trying, Damon," Elena answered in the same tone, "I actually said it."

"You're getting feisty, you know that? I liked you better all damsel and distress-like." Damon said staring into the fire

"Sorry, she's not here anymore," Elena said sliding down further as she yawned, turning her head towards her brother, "Hey, Jeremy's falling asleep."

"Uh and so are you. Eyelids look a little droopy there, Elena," Damon pointed out looking sideways at her, handing her a throw pillow, which she promptly embraced before closing her eyes

Damon sighed, "Now, who's the babysitter."

* * *

Elena gasped as she woke up, hand over her heart, feeling it racing underneath her chest. She looked around wildly until her eyes settled on Damon's concerned face peering at her.

"You okay Elena?" Damon said, his voice surprisingly gentle and concerned

"Yeah," Elena said shaking it off, "Just a bad dream I think."

"About?" Damon asked putting down her legs and pulling her closer, one arm around her.

"Nothing, just nothing." Elena said leaning against him, her face set in a grim expression

"You're bad liar, has anyone ever told you that?" Damon said

"Hmm…" Elena didn't respond, simply stared straight into the fireplace, thinking back to the last lie she told him, the one he still believes, "Jeremy is still asleep."

"Like a log," Damon said looking at Elena's brother, "Well, it is just three in the morning. You should get back to sleep too."

"Stefan's not yet back?" Elena asked, worry finally creeping up on her, even if there was an odd sense of peace in her heart at that moment

"Nope. But I'm sure he's fine. Katherine would never harm him. She did come back for him, as I'm sure you are all too aware as well." Damon said, "He's fine Elena. I wouldn't stay if I didn't think he couldn't handle it."

"Yes, you would," Elena said with a sigh as she watched the flames dance around, "because if he couldn't, then that means you're the last line of defense between me and Katherine. You'd stay."

"He'll be back." Damon repeated, reassuring himself as well, "Stefan's not a fan of not saying goodbye so he won't just wither away and die without a heads up."

"Would you?" Elena asked hesitantly, not looking at him but still staring resolutely ahead

"Would I what?" Damon asked back

"Leave without warning."

"I already did. Dozens of times since that night I did the unthinkable. I just keep coming back, after a few hours. This is actually one of the few nights I didn't attempt to get the hell away from this town." Damon answered truthfully, not daring to look at her and find out if his words meant anything to her.

"Why?" Elena whispered softly

"Why I keep leaving or why I keep coming back?"

"Both. Answer both." Elena said

"Same answer. _You._" Damon said simply, pulling away from her to stand up and walk to the fireplace. He leaned on the frame and stared into the fire as if it mesmerized him, "I run away because I know I'm a danger to you because of what I am. I'm a threat to you and everyone in your life even more than Katherine because I _know_ you and exactly what needs to be done to hurt you in a way that you never come back from it. I actually managed that already."

He sighed before continuing, turning around this time to face her squarely, "But I only get far enough to get that clarity in my head to realize that I don't trust your safety with anyone, not even Stefan. Do you think he got the brilliant idea to send you here tonight all on his own? The whole I was going to leave earlier was just for show. Stefan and I… we both knew that if the worst came to pass, he wouldn't be able to defend you because of his 'diet.' I used that logic on him but my motivations ran deeper than that."

Elena swallowed the lump her in her throat but didn't back down, holding Damon's intense look with one of her own, "How much deeper?"

Damon gave her a pointed look, smiling at her, one corner of his mouth higher than the other as he shrugged, "Irrelevant."

"No, I—"Elena said but was cut off by the loud bang when the front door opened, waking Jeremy up, placing everyone on alert.

Caroline came in, half carrying Stefan who had one arm hung limply on her back.

"A little help?" Caroline said looking at Damon pointedly, who rushed to take his brother from her, "thank you! He's one heavy vampire, though you wouldn't suspect since he looks all skinny and stuff. Bonnie? Where's Bonnie?"

Elena started for the door but Caroline pulled her back sharply, "No!" Caroline screamed, "Are you crazy? She's after us and you're running towards her? Bonnie will come. Bonnie will come. But that Katherine is fast. No, Bonnie will come. She has serious magic. Yeah. She's coming."

Caroline paced back and forth in front of the door, muttering to herself rapidly. Elena moved towards Stefan, who was now being supported by Damon.

"What the hell happened?" Damon asked

"Katherine. She's gotten stronger. I don't know. I don't know." Stefan mumbled, losing strength by the second.

"Bonnie!" Caroline exclaimed as the witch came running through.

"Move back," Bonnie ordered as she faced the door, hands on either side of her, as she began to chant in a language none of them could understand.

It was only seconds after she started when they saw Katherine coming towards them, practically a blur, only to slam against an invisible barrier between her and Bonnie.

"You can't come in here." Bonnie said in a voice that wasn't her own, eerie and absolutely lethal

"I can see that." Katherine said tracing circles in the air, testing the shield, "Well, I see you've progressed from petty little mind tricks to something actually substantial. Bravo, little witch."

"Leave." Bonnie ordered, the force of her words literally forcing Katherine to take a step back.

"Oh, I'll go but I just want one last look at Elena before I ruin her life," Katherine said maliciously, staring at Elena, "He's mine, little girl. This is my game and I'm always the winner. He's _mine._"

"Stay away from Stefan," Elena spat out.

Katherine tilted her head in surprise, a playful smile lighting her face.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about _him_," Katherine said staring straight at Damon, "I changed my mind. _You're _the one that I want."

With that, Katherine stepped back, took a bow and melted into the darkness.

Damon took a step forward instinctively as if to follow, but Elena's hand shot out to stop him, her touch surprising him enough to take a single step back, right by her side.


	5. Chapter 5: Start, stop, pause

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 5: Start, stop, pause**

"Now that's reverse psychology," Caroline exclaimed as she poured herself a glass of blood from Damon's secret stash the following morning, "Seriously, you guys didn't see through _that_? It's a classic. Katherine's just trying to throw you off the scent. I mean why would anyone pick _that_ over_ that," _she said pointing at Damon then Stefan, "Absolutely no sense at all."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Caroline. I'm touched," Damon said, face carefully concealing any emotion as he took the last seat at the kitchen table, "Just what every guy needs to hear at 8 am in the morning."

"It makes sense to me," Bonnie said agreeing with Caroline, "Perfect. Sense."

"Can we get the opinion of people who are _not_ biased against me? I don't think that people I've tried to kill should get a vote in this," Damon said narrowing his eyes at Bonnie

"Then no one gets to vote." Jeremy pointed out.

"Except your sister. She gets to vote," Damon countered shooting Jeremy a withering glare, "and it's the only one that counts with me anyway."

"You've never tried to kill Elena?" Caroline asked surprised

"Not that I recall, no. Well if I did, I most certainly didn't mean it and I should get points for sticking around to protect her," Damon answered Caroline, veering off topic

"Stop," Elena said slamming her palms on the table, "Can we get back to the original discussion? Caroline has a point."

Damon's eyes widened and turned his head sharply to Elena, glaring at her, mouthing to her, "Thanks a lot."

He placed his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair, "Hypothetically, let's say she does actually still want my brother, who is currently limping his way into the room by the way, and not yours truly. Then what the hell did she mean by what she said last night?"

"I think she's trying to tell us she wants Damon to come out and play." Bonnie said matter-of-factly

Stefan leaned against the doorway as Elena immediately rushed to his side, helping him to a seat. Damon watched them, impassive for a few seconds before he turned away unable to look at what he couldn't have, choosing instead to answer Bonnie.

"I'm done with her games. No fun at all, except maybe for her of course. No intention of playing since I'll never win, but go on, I want to be fascinated by how your mind works, oh witchy one," Damon said

"Damon is Katherine's bait," Bonnie said with a shrug, "She's counting on you to still be obsessed enough to actually go to her on the off chance she means what she said about wanting you, which she doesn't, and then use you to get Stefan and Elena to leave this house, which is heavily protected by my magic."

"That's one part of the riddle solved," Damon said with a finger in the air, raising another he continued, "But why did she threaten _Elena_ with _me_. Interesting to figure that part out and get some headway into the inner workings of her diabolical plot of death and destruction, otherwise known as 'ruin Elena's life'."

"What did you tell Katherine, that night you thought she was Elena?" Stefan said wincing, the effort of speaking taking its toll on him.

"That she's very pretty" Damon said automatically, his face completely unreadable

Stefan clenched his jaw in obvious pain, "We don't have time for this, Damon. What did you say?"

Damon smirked, "Oh, you're just _dying_ to know aren't you? Maybe even bleeding a bit. How did you get all banged up anyway? You never did share. Time to show and tell with the war wounds, Stefan."

"Damon, please," Elena said looking him in the eyes with a subtle warning in her voice.

"If I answer, will it count as another step in getting back in your good graces?" Damon said tilting his head as he looked at Elena with a winning smile

"Just answer the question Damon, what did you tell her that night, or do you want me to torture you until you do?" Bonnie said threateningly, "You brought this up so you might as well go all the way and tell us."

"Do what you want witch," Damon said standing up, "those words will never leave my lips again."

Caroline rose as well and blocked his path, "You're not going anywhere."

"Brave. But not enough to intimidate me. . You caught me off guard once but I am stronger than you, make no mistake. Move." Damon said menacingly, before he crumpled to the floor writhing in pain.

"Bonnie, stop!" Elena cried out running to Damon's side, unsure what to do other than be close to him, "Bonnie, don't do this."

"Say it, Damon." Bonnie said, ignoring Elena's pleas, "Say it."

"How can he say it if he's all clutching his head and moaning? I mean, he _can't_ talk. Literally." Caroline said to no one in particular, careful not to step on Damon as she made her way back to her seat

Elena took Damon's face in her hands, "Damon, open your eyes. Look at me. Look at me!"

Damon concentrated on her voice, her command and slowly opened his eyes as the pain doubled in his head.

"Damon, focus on me. Just look at me, block it out. Don't think of anything else. Just look at _me." _Elena said soothingly as she held him. Without turning, she addressed her friend, "Bonnie, stop it or leave this house right now."

"No," Bonnie answered, her voice dark with hatred, latching on to the first reason she could find to use magic against Damon.

"Bonnie, this isn't the way to deal with this," Stefan said joining in, "It might not even be the right question to ask. It's not worth this. Let him go."

"Your brother should be able to take a fraction of the pain he's dished out. He's a murderer, so he should be treated like one. Tell us Damon, what the hell did you tell her that night?" Bonnie said holding steady

Damon clutched his head and Elena's hands intertwined in them. She saw his pain, clear and terrifying as she saw how it lanced through him, robbing him of words. She felt absolutely helpless, the rest of the room fading away slowly as she watched him slowly lose consciousness. She didn't listen to how even Jeremy was trying to reason with Bonnie. She didn't hear Caroline's voice go up an octave as she called out to Bonnie to stop as well. She didn't feel Stefan's gentle arms trying to pull her away.

The only thing she could process was how Damon's eyes were slowly losing focus, become glassy and empty by the second, her own fear magnified with every beat of her heart. She held back tears as she closed her eyes and touched her forehead to his, whispering softly to him, "Damon, stay with me. You promised. You promised to keep trying. Fight…for me."

Elena felt his grip slowly loosen but he kept his hold on her hands. Fear paralyzed her as she waited for him to go completely limp, then to let her go, so she kept her eyes sealed shut. She felt his struggle but she also sensed he was losing control. She tightened her grasp as his slackened. Elena listened to him trying to catch his breath until with a final sigh, he went perfectly still.

"Okay." Damon whispered back to her.

Elena opened her eyes and met his. This close, she could see him and only him—what she almost lost. She saw he was still under Bonnie's spell but refusing the full weight of it. Suddenly the chaos around her swung to full volume and she could see in her peripheral that they were all still shouting at Bonnie, trying to get her to stop.

Elena leaned back an inch as Damon took her hands from his head and squeezed them before letting go. Bonnie's eyes widened as he stood up in front of her and stared at her. Damon watched her a few seconds before throwing a glass of water in her face, making her sputter, finally breaking her concentration. He shook his head as Caroline drained another glass on the top of Bonnie's head for good measure, shrugging as she said, "What? I'm just trying to help."

"I told her that I'm not a hero Elena. I don't do good. It's not in me." Damon said in a low voice to Elena but eyes still trained on Bonnie, "I told her, thank you."

"For what?" Elena said softly behind him.

"For deciding I was worth saving," he answered turning around to face her with a wistful smile on his face, "that means the world to someone like me."

Stefan watched as he listened to the unbroken silence between Damon and Elena. He felt a tug in his heart, a dull ache that made him realize what Katherine probably did that night.

"You told Katherine that Elena trusted you, and that you mattered in her life." Stefan said softly, "But more than that, with those words, you told Katherine that Elena changed you—something she never managed, even with all her manipulative tactics. Last night was a test of that and you failed."

"How so?" Damon said turning to his brother.

"You're still here." Stefan replied straightening up, meeting Damon's hard gaze, "You didn't go after her after she basically told you the words you've waited over a century to hear. It means something is stopping you. _Someone_."

"Is not being completely _stupid_ reason enough to _not_ run after a psychotic bitch?" Damon retorted

"Not for you. Damon, she knows that you're motivated by a single thing, whether human or vampire. It's always been that way with you. It's the one emotion that you can't fully suppress even at your worst." Stefan said taking a deep breath

Damon blinked and shook his head, "Disagree. I don't like where this is going, I was just playing around when I asked earlier. Seriously. Let's drop it because you're starting to project your personality on _me,_ Stefan. And let me tell you, it doesn't look good on me. I'm much cooler. So, no way are we heading down this direction. Drop it."

"So you're telling me, you're just going to let Katherine walk away because you think it's a smart move. Not because you care more for Elena's sanity and that she needs you here. You're saying that you can let Katherine go now because you're wiser and not because it's more important for you to make amends with the one person who persistently believes, after everything, that you're not beyond redemption."

Damon's face hardened, his jaw clenched and unclenched as the seconds passed and he could not speak. He looked at each face in the room, saving Elena for last.

"Don't know with you but all this guessing around is getting on my nerves, which are fried by the way. Good job on that Bonnie. Soooo, I guess I'm off to see the wizard and ask her if I can get a heart or if I already have one. I'd rather the lies and psychoanalysis to come from the expert than from you, brother." Damon said

"Damon, no, don't do this." Elena interrupted, panic seizing her as she moved to stop him.

"Come on, Elena. Let's give Katherine what she wants and see how it plays out," he said with a shrug, "Should be fun or at the very least it will be entertaining."

"No," Elena said forcefully, facing off with Damon, ignoring everyone else for the second time that morning, "You will not walk out that door to go running after what seems to be imminent death or certain insanity."

"Don't be so melodramatic," Damon said nonchalantly, "If you think about it, this simplifies things. If she wasn't lying, then we can run off into the sunset, then you and Stefan can live out whatever boring life you have planned together. And if Katherine was being her usually untruthful self, then you get a chance to rescue me yet again. I promise to act like a damsel in distress. Either way, game over. Isn't that what you want?"

"What I want is for all this madness to stop, for my life to be peaceful and free from all this crap. You walking straight into a trap will just make things worse, so can you please sit down and think this through?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious to at least get the answers for once? Instead of all these theories that Stefan is so brilliant at fabricating." Damon said with his familiar smirk in place but his eyes bright with emotion, "I'm tired of the lies, Elena. I'm tired of thinking and having to decide which version of the truth I'm supposed to believe for the day. Layer upon layer of lies—it's time to sort it all out. It started with _her_, so that's where I need to go to begin making sense of this all, for all our sakes."

Elena looked at him, opened her mouth to speak but closed it again and bit her lower lip, struggling with her emotions.

"Start with me. Skip ahead the hundred years' worth of her lies and start with mine. I'll tell you the truth, everything I couldn't say before. I'll tell you. Just don't walk out that door." Elena said quietly, pleading with him, desperation evident in her voice

Damon smiled bittersweet and defeated, as he stood still in front of her. "It won't change anything."

"Yes it will. Because it means that part of why it's so damn impossible for me to forgive you, is because I still can't forgive myself. Because I share part of the blame of what led to what happened that night. My lies pushed you over the edge. I know that now, I just didn't see it then. I'm giving you a reason to stay." Elena said her voice thick with emotion

Damon shook his head, "No. That was me. All me. Whatever motivations I had, it was all me. I snapped Jeremy's neck._ I_ killed your brother. Don't feel guilty about that. Don't_ ever_ do that to yourself. Your guilt won't erase facts."

"Listen to me. Don't go. Please. I didn't beg for your life more than once just to let you go like this." Elena said

"Heeeeey, Stefan's listening you know. And Bonnie, Caroline and your brother…in case you've forgotten." Damon said in a mock whisper, trying to lighten the mood and distracting himself from the urge to just follow what Elena was asking him to do, wondering when he became the guy who wanted to stay instead of run.

But felt a lump in his throat and his voice caught as he continued, "Don't say it, Elena. You only want to because you think it's what I need to hear right now. Don't say it if you don't mean it because when you take it back, I won't know what to do. Let's not dangle the crazy vampire off the cliff again. I might fall for real this time."

Elena shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she turned to Stefan, "I'm sorry but I need to do this. Whatever I say after, know that I love you and I always will. I'm going to hurt you but I need to tell the truth, if it's the last thing that can keep Damon safe. "

Stefan's face was mired with pain, knowing what words he will hear next, but he nodded to her to continue.

"Caroline, you deserve the answers Damon can probably get from Katherine but I'm going to be selfish and not let him go, because he might not come back." Elena said to Caroline before turning to her other friend, "Bonnie, I stopped you that night at the carnival not only because I didn't want you to be a killer but because my first instinct is always to save him. I need him, Bonnie."

She took a deep breath and faced her brother, "Jeremy, watching you die wasn't something I thought I'd ever recover from—whether or not you came back. As your sister, I should do everything to keep you away from danger, from Damon. Your safety should be my priority but I can't help risk your life with my misplaced trust in him. I'm sorry. I truly am."

Elena finally faced Damon again but before she could speak, he closed the distance. "It won't change my mind. Keep your lie."

"Damon…I—" Elena started

"Don't." Damon said shaking his head, "Just do me a favor and cross your fingers she doesn't kill me. So maybe later, I'll have a chance to listen to you undo the lie and maybe I'll figure out a way for you to forgive me."

He took one step back and smiled at her once more but with his eyebrows knit in indecision.

"Elena," Damon said with a long sigh, "I love you."

"Damon—"she called out but he was out of the room, the house, before she could even blink. Elena's body went into shock, freezing her in place for a second before she crumpled on the floor, eyes wide and hands covering mouth.

Stefan immediately took her in his arms as she rocked herself in place, trying to shut out the possibilities, the many ways he could die, that danced in her head the second Damon was out of her sight.

"He'll be fine," Stefan said soothingly, "He knows how to handle himself. And Katherine won't…Katherine won't…she wouldn't."

Elena ignored him and kept murmuring to herself, oblivious to everything but her own little world in that felt like it was crumbling before her eyes, "He didn't let me finish. He actually left. The bastard actually left."

"Stefan, you're bleeding on her. Caroline, can you and Jeremy help him get cleaned up?" Bonnie said as she sat down next to Elena, taking her from a reluctant Stefan.

"Shh, Elena, shh. You're okay," Bonnie said soothingly, watching endless tears fall from Elena's face, "He'll be back. He's very hard to kill you know? Damon will be fine. I promise you, I'll get him back for you. I'll do everything in my power to bring him back alive."

"You don't understand," Elena said in a strangled voice, "it's not just because I'm afraid he'll die. He might not come back because he could just run away with her. Bonnie he might not come back because in the end, he won't choose me."

"You want him to pick you?" Bonnie asked, needing to hear the words from Elena so she could believe in what she thought was impossible.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I love him."

Damon closed his eyes as he heard it, leaning against the wall from the outside, battling with his inner turmoil to just run back inside and tell her he heard everything.

"She loves you back, how sweet. But since you're not making any move to head back in, I'm guessing you're coming with me." Katherine said as she stood in front of Damon, "I wonder why though?"

"Her confession doesn't change anything because whether or not she felt the same way, I have more than enough motivation to want you to stay the hell away from her. I'll do anything to accomplish that, so here I am, what do you want?" Damon spat out

"Oh, we're not discussing that here. Not when there are two vampires inside who might possibly decide to eavesdrop after patching up the wounded. So, let's go." Katherine said.

"Before we get to that, why do you want _me?_ I hardly think it's because you really changed your mind and decided you actually cared for me all this time." Damon said, holding Katherine in place

"I'm sorry, I think the word I should have used is 'need' not 'want.' You're right, I haven't changed my mind about one thing—I still want Stefan, I do love him after all. BUT, for this little predicament, I realized you'd be of better use to me. You seem to have a whole lot more motivation to risk your life for that human girl—that and your attachment to human blood unlike your brother. Besides, I figured why risk _his_ life when I can just as well use yours. It's win-win for me."

"Ah, your logic astounds me as always. The words 'evil' and 'genius' come to mind, along with 'cruel' and 'heartless'," Damon said with eyes narrowed to slits, "And if I don't 'help' you?"

"Then she dies, and it's not going to be me who kills her." Katherine said bluntly

"Because it's on me, right?" Damon said rolling his eyes, "Enough with the mind games, Katherine."

"No, Damon, not on you _or_ me. This is about _my_ past catching up to me and_ they_ won't be smart enough to figure out which one of us is which. So, contrary to popular belief that I want Elena dead, I'm actually saving her life by making sure they don't get confused or get to her first. I don't need her dead, nor alive for that matter. I just want her NOT in Stefan's life." Katherine hissed

"Are you lying to me?" Damon asked

"No. Stop wasting time, Damon." Katherine said furiously

"I really don't trust you." Damon said, "You've given me every reason not to."

"Would you risk _her_ life on the possibility I might be lying? Come with me. Now." Katherine said

Damon closed his eyes briefly before starting at his old love, "You better not be bluffing or I will rip your head off."

Katherine backed away, devilish smile lighting up her face, and her eyes glinting with an untold secret, "You wouldn't. Not when I tell you _why _Elena looks Just. Like._ Me._"


	6. Chapter 6: In light and darkness

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 6: In light and darkness**

"Miss me?" Damon asked, standing in front of Elena, smiling at her

"Hardly, I saw you last night," Elena replied nonchalantly, "but the_ real_ you, I do miss. It's tearing me apart."

"Ah," he replied, his lips in a tight line, "this is the best we can do for now."

"Why do we always meet here again" Elena asked, leaning back on the headstone behind her.

"I don't know. It's _your_ dream, you tell me. In my humble opinion, I think your subconscious is trying to tell you something because the cemetery isn't exactly standard dream fare, not even for someone like you. Or is a unicorn going to pop out and prance around any second now?" Damon responded sitting down next to her, stretching his legs in front of him as he glanced around in an exaggerated fashion for a mythical creature.

"Is this really just that? A dream?" Elena asked wistfully

"How can it not be? I've been wearing the same clothes since the day I left and it's been weeks. I do have a bigger wardrobe than this. Will it hurt you to let me wear other clothes next time? Or do you think I look really hot in this. I see the charm but it doesn't really strike me as an outfit with long-term appeal." Damon said playfully

"But I can _feel_ you," Elena insisted.

"But will you remember it when you open your eyes? You won't. Don't lie to yourself. Not here." Damon said quietly,

Elena sighed and rested her head against his shoulder, choosing to remain silent and trying to memorize everything she knew she'd forget the moment she woke up.

"This was where I first saw you. Did you know that? Magical moment, I tell you. If I had a diary, I'd have written all about it." Damon said nudging her with his shoulder

"No, I don't recall ever seeing you here before I met you at your house." Elena responded, confused as she tried to dig up her memories

"Oh, come on, I pulled out special effects for you—creepy crow and all that fog moving in on you. You don't remember? You even ran away. It was _that_ good, as in Hollywood award-winning worthy." Damon said, evading Elena's hand as she slapped his arm.

"I ran and fell. I was a bleeding mess!" Elena said as she remembered and attempted to hit him again playfully but Damon caught her wrist and pulled her hand to his chest, keeping it there, entwined with his own arm.

"But it didn't make you any less breathtaking. BTW, you should thank me for that," Damon said, "You officially met my brother that day. Well, _he_ should thank me, since he no longer needed to resort to stalking you like he did prior to being formally introduced."

He sighed as he let go of her hand, "Nothing's changed hasn't it? Since that day? I still do things that drive you away and just make you run right into his arms. I can always try and protect you but I can never make you _feel_ safe."

"You scare me." Elena said quietly, leaning against him gently, "Good and bad ways, you just terrify me."

"Cheesy haunted house variety or actual suspense thrills and chills?" Damon asked with one eyebrow raised.

"The kind that makes my heart stop," Elena said bluntly

"Thanks, I feel very proud of myself right now," Damon said wickedly, "but I'm a fan of details and my favorite question has always been 'why', so maybe you want to tell me why scaring you is good and bad? I'd love to find out why I'm a walking contradiction."

"You're too unpredictable. You run straight into things without thinking and it gets you into trouble far too often," Elena said, pausing a bit before saying the last part, "But what really makes me afraid is that I can still see the evil in you and I don't think we'll ever be rid of it, and I think somehow you don't want to."

"Part of being a vampire, in case you've forgotten, but truth be told, everyone has it inside them. Granted, it's in varying degrees, and I just lucked out in getting a lion's share of it. It's there. It's part of who I am, Elena. I live with it everyday, and you know what? When I'm around you, it scares me too—knowing I'm evil and that I can really hurt you. That I already did." Damon said softly closing his eyes.

Elena stared at him, watched as he battled with his emotions, "I never pegged you as someone who had something to fear."

"Everyone with something to lose is capable of fear, Elena. I'm just one of the many." Damon said, "Now, let's continue…what exactly is the good brand of scared?"

"That after everything I still trust you," Elena whispered, "that I _know_ I will find a way to forgive you because I'm paralyzed with fear to think about losing you. Like right now."

"I'm right here." Damon said with a soft but bitter smile

"You're not," Elena said, frustrated, "this is just a dream and I miss you like hell."

One corner of Damon's mouth turned up, turning sideways to face her, "As much as I think I'm good company, I'm sure you're the only one. I can name five people off the top of my head who would want to see me gone. Well, maybe Stefan is extra-broody but that limits my search party to the two of you. I'll bet Bonnie is organizing a little something, something in the honor of me going missing. Well, tell her not to break out party hats just yet."

Elena frowned at the mention of Stefan's name, straightening up and inching away slightly, just enough so no part of them touched.

"Ah, I think I've said the magic word, or name," Damon said, "You look like someone with something to say, so go right ahead. I'm all ears."

"I love you." Elena said simply.

"Ooooh. Can you stop right there for like five seconds? I want to pretend there's no _'but'_ coming on the heels of those three little words." Damon said with a smile but unable to hide the pain in his voice

"BUT," Elena emphasized, "It doesn't mean I don't love Stefan anymore."

"And at the end of the day, you still won't choose me, blah, blah. Story of my undead life." Damon said finishing the thought that hung between them, "I _know_. At least this time, I didn't have to wait a century to get clarity on not being an option after all."

He sighed and closed his eyes before continuing, "You two—you make sense. _I_ don't even make sense on my own sooo …even I don't see us working out. Sparks flying left and right that I just can't see anything past what we have now, which is essentially a toe outside of friendship but a mile away from whatever comes next."

"I can," Elena said her voice distant, "you know, see it. It's like bungee jumping, remember that?"

"How can I forget? It was my brilliant idea, remember?" Damon said, "So you're saying, you plus me equals borderline insane and we'll last no longer than a few minutes? Very intriguing but nonsensical."

"Will you let me finish?" Elena said exasperated, "It's absolutely insane, I agree. It's like throwing yourself off, against everything that makes sense and you just run the risk of hitting rock bottom...It's like that moment before you fall—the chaos in your head that makes you so nervous and doubtful of why you're even here. And then you jump and you just feel everything all at once—the speed, the rush, the air around you. Your heart beats so fast that you actually believe it might explode. It's exhilarating. It's us. Then it calms down. The only thing you see is that other person and that somehow, you're both still alive. And you just know… you'll make it—through anything, anywhere, anytime."

Damon looked at her intensely, resisting the urge to pull her in his arms, "Why does everything you say sound like it has a disclaimer attached to it? At the risk of shattering that image, which is just so full of hope and promise, into oblivion, what's the 'but' after that happily ever after?"

"I'm not the girl who is brave enough to take a chance on_ that_ over the white picket fence kind of ending," Elena said gently, "That's what Stefan is to me. He's safe. He's like a rock. It's simple with him. I love him, he loves me back. His being a vampire and the jilted ex chasing after him—things I can get past as long as I know he loves me. With him, I don't run the risk of my heart getting broken."

"And with me? Damon asked

Elena hugged her knees to her chest, placing her chin on top, "I'm still picking up the pieces, Damon."

She rocked back and forth as she continued, "From when you killed Jeremy, from when you told me I'm have more than just a face in common with Katherine, and from when you walked away—I'm not yet completely whole after those."

"There are only two explanations why he can't hurt you. One, he's perfect, or, two, you don't really love him, you just think you do or you just want to believe it. One of those is impossible and I'll give you a hint—it's not the first one." Damon told her bluntly

"It's my dream, my mind, my rules—I'll choose what I want to believe." Elena said stubbornly

"Another fun fact for you—your dream, yes, then why am _I_ in it. Not him?" Damon questioned her

"Because right now I'm worried for you. Damon, you've been missing for weeks." Elena answered, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Missing?" Damon said, tilting his head, frowning at her, "You haven't been looking in the right places. I'm right here Elena."

"What?" Elena said, dread creeping up on her.

Suddenly the air around them grew colder. Elena shivered and felt the world shift slightly, all the light gone and darkness settling around her.

"Damon?" she said reaching out for him but every step she took didn't matter—she was rooted to the spot.

"Damon?" Elena repeated with more urgency, watching his face harden as he shook his head.

"I'm right here," he repeated, almost apologetically.

"Stop saying that! I can see you! What are you trying to say?" Elena cried out, feeling the dream morph into a nightmare

"Turn around." Damon said.

"No." Elena replied, tears making way down her face, "No."

"Turn around, please," he repeated

With a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she slowly moved to face the tombstone behind her.

_Damon Salvatore_

_Brother. Friend. _

Elena whirled around but Damon was gone, not even a trace that he was even there to begin with. She fell to her knees, eyes empty and wide.

Elena screamed, her anguish piercing the night as if her soul was being ripped into pieces. But it wasn't enough to bring him back.

"Open the damn door!"

Elena's eyes flew open, the pounding on the front door of the Salvatore's house combined with the incessant demand to have it opened, woke her up.

Disoriented, she wiped the tears from her face, wondering why she was crying in her sleep. She ran to the door but Stefan and Bonnie quickly pulled her back.

"No, Elena!" Bonnie said, "It's Katherine."

"Open the door! I can hear you!" Katherine said slamming her fist harder on the wood, "Stefan, you have to let me in. You have to help me. _Please._"

"Leave," Stefan said trying to hide just how he was struggling, "Just leave."

"You don't understand," Katherine pleaded, sounding unusually vulnerable, "You can't let them get me, not when I can still tell you how to save him."

"What?" Elena asked breaking their hold on her, "Where is Damon?"

"Elena, don't listen to her, she's just manipulating you." Bonnie said

"Stay out of this," Katherine hissed loudly, "Elena, listen to me, you have to break the witch's spell on this damned door and let me in. I'll tell you what you have to do to get Damon back but for that you need me alive. Do it, now."

Enraged, Stefan pulled open the door, ready to fight Katherine outside but Elena held him back. Katherine pressed on the invisible barrier, disheveled and utterly frightened. Stefan blinked, clearly surprised at the sight, expecting anything but weakness from Katherine.

"Stefan, please," Katherine pleaded, "don't let me die. Not like this."

"No. I'm done with you." Stefan said angrily.

"Are you done with your own brother too?" Katherine spat, "Don't be blinded by hate, Stefan, unless you're prepared to lose _everything_ for it."

"You're bluffing," Stefan said through gritted teeth

"Don't count on it." Katherine said sharply before turning to Elena, "His life is in your hands now. What's it going to be Elena? Which one of us will you trust with Damon's life—me or Stefan?"

"Bonnie, take it down. Let her in, now!" Elena said her voice breaking, knowing she betrayed Stefan somehow

"Good girl," Katherine said

"No!" Bonnie said, "I can't do that Elena. She can't be trusted."

"Bonnie! Please. I'm begging you. If she's lying, then take her out, I won't stop you but if she's right…we have to do something Bonnie. We can't let him go without a fight." Elena implored, then turning to Stefan, "He's your brother, Stefan. He's worth _this_ risk."

Stefan shook his head, "Elena you don't know her. Don't let her get into your head."

"You know me _very_ well, Stefan. I may be a selfish, backstabbing bitch but I'm not wholly incapable of telling the truth—not when it counts. I'm offering you his life if you save mine _now._" Katherine repeated, "Elena, they're close. If they take me now, the trail goes cold."

Elena looked at Bonnie who just shook her head. Stefan placed a hand on Elena's arm, "Don't play her games, you won't win. If you can't trust me, then trust that Damon won't want you endangering your life for his. He'll make it back somehow. There's always another way."

Elena shook off his hand and acting on pure instinct, reached out to take Katherine's hand and pulled her inside the house.

Bonnie gasped in shock that Elena broke through her magic and tumbled inside with Katherine. She watched in horror as a malicious smile spread through Katherine's face as she slammed the door behind her, before turning to all of them.

"Well, that was easier than I thought," Katherine said surprised, "I guess you really do love the boy but then again I already knew that, even before _you_ did."

"What?" Elena said taking a step back, incredulous, unable to process what she was hearing, "How? How can you possibly pretend to know something like that?"

"We might have been apart for centuries, Elena, but I still remember how to be human…how it was to be _you."_

The second Katherine stopped speaking, something massive slammed against the door behind them, reverberating through them that it felt like the entire house shook.

And then everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7: Imperfect truth

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 7: Imperfect truth**

"Stefan!" Elena cried out in the darkness, trying to feel her way towards him, finding instead Katherine's hand, which gripped hers and pulled her close.

"Do not speak. Do not make any noise. In fact, don't even breathe," Katherine whispered in a harsh voice, pure terror laced with every syllable.

"Why—"Elena managed to get out before Katherine's other hand clamped down on her mouth, silencing her by force.

They listened as the pounding continued, howls punctuating every hit made on the door. Elena felt a soft breeze, followed by the release of the hand on her face.

"Touch her again and you die, Katherine," Stefan threatened, pulling Elena close to him.

"Fine," Katherine shot back, "but keep her mouth shut. The second they hear _her_ voice, we're dead—the kind that sticks. Where is the witch? Come out, come out. Now's the time to show off what you've got."

"What are you talking about? What's out there?" Bonnie said

"Shh! What part of getting killed if we make noise did you not understand?," Katherine hissed, "Send it away. Now. And bring back the lights while you're at it."

"I can't do it without knowing what I'm up against, what mind I'm supposed to fight." Bonnie said with urgency

"Just do it." Katherine ordered, "Stop stalling."

They felt the world go completely still. They watched as Bonnie began to faintly glow, eyes closed as she stretched out her palms in front of her, towards the door where the danger was. Bonnie pulled her arms back then pushed forward an invisible force, emanating great power. In a split second, everything was back to normal—lights on and the normal hum of the house filled their senses. There was silence behind the door and nothing more.

Katherine looked around at each of them and shrugged before walking into the living room, settling on the couch as if nothing had happened.

"Sit. I think the witch bought us a few hours at least. Bravo, Bonnie." Katherine said with mock applause, "You did Emily proud."

"What the hell just happened, Katherine?" Stefan said angrily, charging in her direction as if he was going to attack.

But Katherine flew to Elena, using her as a shield against Stefan, "Play nice Stefan. I'm not the enemy in this one. I never really was. You just can't seem to believe that."

"Let her go," Stefan said, palms raised in surrender, "Just back away from her."

Katherine shook her head and linked an arm with Elena instead of letting go, "Sorry, I need to keep her with me. Leverage, you know?"

Elena glared at Katherine but didn't move away, "You said you had answers. Speak. Where is Damon?"

"Well, that's rude, not even a 'please' worked into that." Katherine said, "I guess I'm not surprised. Anxious as you are, we need to start somewhere much earlier than what happened to your precious Damon to really get anywhere with this. Or have you already forgotten the little blackout we just had? Not even mildly curious what it was?"

"Where is Damon?" Elena insisted, trying to wrench her way out of Katherine's arm. "Do you even know what happened to him? Or is this just another one of your games?"

Katherine unhooked her arm and shoved Elena onto the couch, eyeing her angrily as she pushed Stefan towards the wall forcefully, "Don't even bother coming near us witch. I can kill her before you can even _think_ of a spell."

Katherine took a deep breath and faced Elena again, "Not a game, Elena. Not this time. But if we're to stand a chance at winning, you need to _listen_. I have all the answers, start to finish—the entire sordid tale but you need to tell me something first."

"What?" Elena said suspiciously, eyeing Katherine carefully.

"Damon's life is on the line and because of you I can't shake the _need_ to save the bastard. I should run away, avoid the fight like I've always done but you've made it impossible." Katherine said, "So, tell me, Elena, is he worth it? Or are we saving his life just so you can break his heart?"

Elena looked sideways at Stefan uncertainly before standing up to face Katherine squarely, swallowing the lump rising in her throat, "Tell the story but make sure you the ending involves _exactly_ how we save Damon or I swear I will find a way to rip you to pieces."

"Feisty. It suits you. Sit. Down." Katherine said pushing her down again by the shoulders so Elena landed with a thump on the couch.

"That monster, whatever it was, I've never seen it but it's been on my tail for centuries—at least until 1864 when I finally deceived it into believing I died. But I do know who sent it—the firsts." Katherine explained as she stood in front of them, "Yes, I know what those question marks on your faces mean. The firsts are the quite literally the first vampires, two brothers who started all this madness—Alastair, and Gregory. How old they are, no one is really sure. All I know is they _made _the original curse. They were humans but even then, quite superior. They were of the belief that they were not meant for mediocrity, and they practically drove themselves mad trying to find a way to achieve what they perceived as perfection. This entire unnatural existence is forged by magic and sustained by the blood—something that they believed was the most powerful life force, the enabler of their greed for power, beauty and strength. But that much raw energy from blood, that much desire to keep them 'perfect' forever meant losing weaknesses and all their ties to humanity. They switched it off and gave themselves over to immortality. This is a living curse and every single vampire carries it with them."

"One of them…he found me," Katherine said in a haunted voice as she turned away from them, walking towards the fireplace, staring into it as if it held her answers, "when I was broken and alone. Orphaned, widowed, dying and with a baby in my arms."

_Katerina's surroundings swam in front of her, her vision losing more and more focus as the seconds passed by. The only thought in her mind was trained on making sure she held on to the sickly child in her arms as they waited for a miracle._

_It could have been minutes or hours or days that mother and child were by the side of the road, lying helpless, until someone finally approached them. His footsteps were light, almost imperceptible, but sure and steady as they came closer. The man leaned down and looked her over, gently brushing the hair from her face and beads of sweat that lined her forehead. Katerina instinctively clutched her daughter closer but she was powerless to stop the man from taking the baby from her arms._

"_No, please no, she's all I have," Katerina begged, using the last of her strength to plead, "Please."_

"_Shhh. Do not waste your energy, you barely have any left," the man said in a musical and impossibly soothing voice, "I'm sorry, my love, but you are not fit to care for her. You will be. Soon. But until then, I will keep her in a safe place. We'll take her back when she's ready and we'll be a family. For now I shall heal you, please…do not be afraid…drink my blood."_

_The man touched her wrist, dripping with crimson liquid, to her lips, forcing her to drink the blood. Days of starvation and exhaustion made her numb to the horror of the act. Katerina took what she was offered and lifted her head for more when the man took his hand away._

"_Now," he said stroking her cheek, "we must say goodbye for awhile."_

"The next thing I knew, he pressed his hand on my nose and mouth until I suffocated to death," Katherine bit her lip, a soft smile grazing her face; "The one who approached me was Alastair. He looked like you Stefan. His face was kind and honest. I had no idea what evil lurked beneath, and I didn't care. At the point of death, I trusted the stranger and the promise of my daughter's return to me."

"_Katerina! You are awake!" Alastair exclaimed, helping her sit up from the bed._

"_Where…where am I?" Katerina said, looking around confused with her plush surroundings._

"_You are home…our home now." Alastair explained gently, "I saved you."_

"_No, no…this isn't my home. I…my home burned down. Oh my God, my daughter! Where is my daughter?" Katerina cried out near hysteria_

"_Shhh. Calm down. We will get her back. Our daughter is safe, someone will care for her until she is ready to join us," Alastair said soothingly_

"_NO! What are you saying? You're not my husband. He is dead. Take me to my daughter now!" Katerina sobbed, losing the battle with her emotions until a grim realization filled her and threw herself away from Alastair, "You didn't save me. You killed me!"_

"_I saved you," he insisted, "You would have died otherwise. I brought you to a better life, one with limitless possibilities…one that never ends."_

"_What?" Katerina asked, eyes wild as she felt a burning feeling rise up in her throat, a feeling she never experienced before. Instinctively her hands flew to her throat and the sound of a steady beat filled her ears, beckoning to her like a siren's call, "What…what is that?"_

_Alastair merely smiled and opened the bedroom door to reveal a young man, seemingly in a trance. The boy approached them and stood before Katerina, tilted his head to expose his neck to her._

"_Drink," Alastair gestured to the boy, "It is what will give you strength like you've never known before. Welcome to your new life, my Katerina."_

She closed her eyes, reliving the memory, "I rejected it, unable to fathom the act and still agonizing over the loss of my daughter. I refused anything he gave me, until I grew weaker and when I got to the point where I would not turn into a vampire but the corpse I should have been, I realized the attacks on my family were orchestrated by a vampire. Alastair, has watched me for so long, clearing the path for us—or so he called it. He killed them all so he could turn me and make me his queen," Katherine said, sighing before continuing, "I drank the blood, vowing I would obtain enough power to kill him and everyone he cared about."

"But the older the vampire, the stronger and this wasn't something I could shortcut. He was untouchable, and I had to pretend for years that I wasn't just biding my time until I could rip him limb from limb," Katherine said with so much resentment, softening only after a few breaths, "But just before I lost hope, I found her. A witch, shaman, or something—doesn't matter. She said I could accelerate it but it meant I needed to detach myself completely from all the humanity left in me—not just switch it off and hide it somewhere in my mind. I had to embrace the monster in me. I agreed."

_Katerina stood tall in the middle of the room, eyeing the witch with a steady gaze, waiting for the other to crumple and bow down. But the witch stood her ground. Brave enough to stand closer to her, not withering under her stare. _

_The vampire smiled triumphantly, "That's very irresistible offer but I suppose you want something equally steep in return. What do you want Amelia?"_

"_It is very simple," the witch answered, "You vow to leave me and my daughter alone. No matter what."_

"_Agreed," Katerina said shaking the outstretched hand of the witch, sealing the pact. Amelia held on, not letting go even when Katerina tried to pull away, casting the spell as she did, muttering the words that would allow her to fulfill her end of the bargain—to give Katerina power equal to Alastair's._

_Amelia's voice transformed into a living thing, tearing inside Katerina and searching for all her ties to her humanity. The magic ripped her apart, taking her spirit, her goodness and truth away from her physical form. Katerina howled in agony, her eyes shut tight in an effort to complete the process. But a moment of weakness forced her eyes open and she saw her—the little girl, hunched in a corner, staring at her with wide eyes._

_It took less than a second for Katerina to realize why Amelia bound her to an oath to leave her family alone. Because her daughter was in the witch's care. A single tear fell from her eyes and a burst of emotion blasted them apart, her spirit finding a home in the little girl and ultimately preventing the witch from completely eradicating her of all traces of her humanity for in that single moment. Katerina retained the ability to love and the smallest fragment continued to exist in her._

She closed her eyes and tears fell on her cheeks, her voice trembling as she continued, "I remember screaming and begging for it to end until I passed out. I woke up, went home and staked the vampire who created me. I chopped him up and burned every last bit of him, savoring the smell of his flesh burning. His brother found me there, Gregory, and he realized what I had done. I ran. And I've been running ever since, trying to get more powerful so I could kill the remaining brother. I've manipulated my way into getting what I needed, killed those who stood in my way and faked my own death to mislead them. And now here we are."

Katherine turned to Elena, looked at her as if she were a memory and not from this time, "I never saw her again, my daughter." She clenched her jaw and took a few steps closer to Elena, "_You_ are my humanity, the part that survived through _her_. Everything that was good about me, the parts of me that knew compassion, forgiveness and love, you have them in you. My humanity survived through her bloodline but I can never guess how it now wholly resides in you when it should have been diluted over the generations. I can sense it. It's practically whole in you and that's why the physical manifestation is our likeness. Why now and why through you, I don't know. It doesn't matter. Now, do you understand why I loathe you? Because you represent everything I lost and can never get back, Elena. You're the young girl who had a family and a future, yet here you are wasting your life falling for the undead. You're throwing _my_ life away. But you know what really stings? It's that even the one man who unlocked that small shred of good left in me, you managed to steal. That part of me that loves him is my reality, not yours. You can feel it because you're tied to me somehow but the source of that love isn't within you."

Katherine turned to Stefan, "You can hate me all you want but you know I'm telling you the truth. The pull you felt towards her is because you recognized the good you saw in me before. You love her for the ways she resembled the woman you fell for all those years ago."

She turned to Elena, "You don't love Stefan, at least not in the way you love Damon." Katherine said frankly, "You just think you do because _I_ do. Love at first sight isn't real, Elena. That feeling you got when you first saw Stefan? That fluttering in your stomach when you talked? That sense of belonging with him? All _mine_. It's a poor shadow of the real thing, Elena. Can't you tell how it pales in comparison to the blinding chaos, both beautiful and terrifying, that Damon brings to your life?"

"That's a lie," Stefan said in a hollow voice, "I love Elena and she loves me."

"I never said you didn't," Katherine said regaining her old demeanor, "I'm just explaining why it won't last. I can go on all night but Damon just doesn't have the time. Let's get to the endgame shall we?"

"How do we get to Damon?" Bonnie asked when no one spoke up, "That's the point of all this right or did you just need an audience for your little anti-fairy tale?"

"We don't go to him," Katherine said casually

"That's all you have?" Elena said snapping out of her stupor, rage surfacing quickly, "Is he even still alive at this point?"

"As I was saying," Katherine said, giving Bonnie a pointed look, "Damon is alive, barely, but yes still part of the undead. I can tell you how to _help_ him get out."

"Where is he?" Stefan asked impatiently

"I don't know. They've hidden him well. Far too well," Katherine trailed off, "BUT, they won't kill him. I'm fairly certain they will keep him alive so they can kill him while I watch. They're theatrical that way."

"How sure is 'fairly certain'?" Elena asked losing patience

"Not very but it's all you have to hold on to, so I would suggest you don't let go of it." Katherine said sharply, disliking Elena's tone.

Then how are we supposed to save him?" Elena asked frustrated

"We draw them out." Katherine said with her mouth set in a grim line as she looked straight at Elena, "And one of us will have to be the bait."

* * *

"Look, how many times do I have to tell you, I don't know what you're talking about," Damon insisted, his arms tied behind him with a rope laced with vervain, "I was just passing through and I made the mistake of getting tempted by the blood I smelled wafting from your little party house over here. I'm sorry. Forgive and forget?"

"Lies." Gregory spat out, eyes malevolently flashing at Damon, striking him hard across the cheek, adding another cut to his wide assortment of wounds, "Insolence!"

Damon glared at the older vampire as his head hung limply, "I'm telling you. She doesn't love me. Katherine doesn't love me. She told me so. And we've left each other alone ever since. End of story. I've been over that awhile now and you should get with the program. Do you need steps or something?"

"Damon," Gregory said, gracefully shaking his head as he stepped closer, "Then tell me, why her soul cries out to me, in torment over _your_ loss. I can taste the sweetness of her anguish, wrapped in bitterness and longing for your safety. It was silent for a very, very long time that I believed that someone already fulfilled my oath of revenge until now. I can hear her again—the thirst for revenge, her sorrow and her desire to evade me. Alive and whole once more, because of _you._"

"You lost me," Damon said bluntly, "Katerina, Katherine, whatever the hell her name is to you….. I repeat, in case you've gone deaf in your old age, she does not love me. She loves my brother Stefan. Not Damon. Stefan. It's always been Stefan. Get it? OR do you need background music to get the full effect? I want her dead, like you, so if you let me go, I promise to not stand in your way when you stake her treacherous little heart. I'll even give you the wooden stake I carved out especially to kill her with."

"Elena," Gregory whispered maliciously, "That's the name she uses now. Does that ring a bell, Damon?"

Damon went still, his face slowly registering the shock that was running up his veins. His eyebrows were knitted together as he clenched his jaw tightly, "Elena is human. She isn't Katherine. Two separate people. Don't get confused. One starts with an 'E' and has a heartbeat, the other starts with a 'K' and is a heartless bitch."

"Oh, you see the world too simply, in your _young_ age," Gregory said mockingly, "For someone kept alive by a curse, black magic, you certainly seem to keep well within confines that society dictates, limiting yourself to what you _see_. Even so, the physical resemblance should have clued you in to what's inside—the striking resemblance of their passions, how they love and how they hate. All the same, all the same."

"So you're saying all vampires have doppelgangers?" Damon said smirking through his pain.

"You are not funny." Gregory snapped at Damon, "No. Just Katerina. She was desperate enough to resort to the darkest magic, and greedy enough for the power. She is the only one. Well the only one to survive it. Technically, not a doppelganger. There's only one, in the ways that count, for they are only fragments of a whole."

"Hmmm," Gregory continued, "But you are right. There is a splinter that cares not for you, but for your brother. Shrouded in darkness and shying away from the light of this world is a love guarded with the highest of walls."

Gregory closed his eyes and smiled wanly, "Ah, the sliver left in the undead one can still _feel_. Such a tiny portion left behind yet so powerful, practically fueled by the purest of loves, untouched by her monstrosity. How entertaining it will be to see Katerina watch love die twice, in my hands."

"Leave Elena out of it," Damon said angrily, "Katherine's sins are not hers. What has she done to you anyway? Killing your brother certainly doesn't warrant something as elaborate and centuries' old plan to off the bitch."

"Impossible to do so I'm afraid," Gregory said apologetically, "She is a part of this, in any way you look at it, this is also her story, and sadly, her ending as well. What resides in her is the human that seduced my brother and in the vampire is her murderer—both, all of her, made it impossible for _us_ to have a future. _I _loved her first. Before my brother, before you or Stefan—I loved her. My only mistake was waiting too long to make her mine that Alastair had just enough time to fall prey to her charms. I will not fail again. If I can't have her, then most certainly I would rather have her dead that be with someone else. "

"I won't let you." Damon said with gritted teeth, "Your little obsession, let me tell you, I've been there. It never ends well. Not for the one pining away for someone who doesn't give a damn. So get over it or _you_ die in _my_ hands."

Gregory laughed, "And how do you propose to accomplish that, tied down as you are?"

Out of nowhere, wooden darts pelted the older vampire surprising him and making him stagger backwards.

Alaric burst through from the darkness, holding one of his weapons, and slashing down the ropes that held Damon with his other hand, "Hurry. That's not enough to kill him."

"What…?" Damon said shocked

"Isobel told me. Gave me vervain-soaked wood that some witch put a spell on. About two dozen tiny needles of it. Got it? Now move." Alaric said pulling him along as Gregory was slowly getting up, pulling each wooden piece out, growling as he did.

Alaric half-carried and half-dragged Damon to the waiting car, where Jenna sat behind the wheel, fidgeting nervously, eyes widening in surprise when they jumped in, "Damon? This little mission is for _him_? Why is he…bleeding? Damon, are you involved with drugs? Or some other crime?"

"What? No! Just drive Jenna," Alaric said peering behind them, weapon locked and loaded, "Answers later. Floor it."

"Do what he says," Damon said hoarsely, "Although, I wouldn't say no to some painkillers now…the strong kind? No?"

Jenna nodded and sped out onto the main road, nervously looking back through the rearview mirror as if expecting someone to chase them.

Damon drifted in and out of consciousness in the backseat, muttering to himself as he gave in to exhaustion as the adrenaline wore off, as they sped towards Mystic Falls.

"Elena…that guy…he's after Elena. He can't…Elena…Katherine_…Katerina._"

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far! I love hearing from you and finding out what you think :) Hope you enjoyed this update and that you'll keep reading the rest of this story :)**


	8. Chapter 8: The choices we make

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 8: The choices we make**

"You want to do WHAT?" Elena asked Katherine with complete and utter disbelief in her voice.

"You heard me," Katherine said, sounding almost bored, "I want the other part of me back in my body—the one Elena is in charge of safe-keeping. Just temporarily, of course, since I kind of like not feeling all the angst you carry around—it will just weigh me down. Don't want to turn out all broody like Stefan. I don't like forest animals."

"Wait, I thought you said you got all that power because you lost that part of you, so won't it weaken you?" Bonnie pointed out, "I'm going to use all my power for this I'm not going to do this without knowing the details, Katherine. I'm not bound to you. I'm not Emily."

"Sadly you are not. She was easier to deal with. Difficult is an understatement for someone like you. To answer your question, yes, back then it was the key to killing Alastair—the good brother. BUT this time we're up against Gregory and his little minion or minions, aka the evil ones. Weird sort of balance, I know but what's life without a little bit of contradiction right? Besides, that humanity has matured through the generations and I'm guessing it has grown in magic if it's survived this long. I don't make the rules so don't hate me if it doesn't make sense to you. But it will work, that I can guarantee." Katherine answered casually as she stared at her nails.

"So, why don't we just use Elena's body...put your part in her." Stefan said, pacing in front of Katherine.

"Stefan, has the lack of human blood in your system completely addled your brain? She's human—fragile, in other words very, very breakable. She will shatter like a china teapot the second Gregory gets a chance to whip her to a wall. Translation: broken bones a hundred different ways. She won't be any good in a fight," Katherine replied rolling her eyes in impatience, "At what point will you all realize that there's only one answer to this riddle?"

"Wait, can't we like join the two of you in another body? You know… neutral territory…" Caroline suggested with a hopeful look on her face

"Caroline, seriously?" Katherine said raising her eyebrows at the youngest vampire, "We're not dealing with some war in your history class where treaties can be signed. Putting us in with another consciousness in another body will mean insanity for everyone involved. Literally. Not an option. Especially if you're thinking we do this with yours. I don't think I can fight properly if you keep saying 'like duh' in my mind."

Katherine sighed and placed her fingers on her temple as if she had a headache, "Look, she won't even feel a thing. Elena goes to sleep and then wakes up later, everything done, problem solved. Elena, Damon doesn't have time."

"Oh, I believe I do, no thanks to _you."_ Damon said walking into the room, trailed by Alaric and Jenna, "I just love the way you _left me there to die_ at the hands of your insane stalker. He says hi and drop-dead by the way."

"Damon!" Caroline exclaimed, "You….you don't look so good."

"You're really good at stating the obvious," Damon muttered, favoring his right leg over his other as he stood.

Stefan was immediately in front of Damon, hands on his shoulders, examining the injured brother closely.

Damon shrugged him off, "I'm fine Stefan. I'll patch myself up later. No need for a tearful welcome, brother, I'm good. I know you missed me and my charming wit." He locked eyes with Katherine, who looked serious as she nodded to him, a silent message of relief that he was alive.

Elena stood silently, unable to move even if the desire to run straight into Damon's arms was overwhelming. She swallowed the lump in her throat and held back the tears that threatened to spill.

"Will someone please explain what is going on here?" Jenna said interrupting the moment, looking around wildly before darting back and forth between Katherine and Elena, "What…why…Elena? Why are there two of you?"

"Jenna," Elena began but her voice broke as Damon's head snapped her way the moment she spoke, holding her eyes steady with his, until she looked away, unable to continue without losing control over her emotions.

"I think I can take care of this one," Jeremy said guiding Jenna out of the room, "We can talk in the kitchen."

Tension was thick in the air as Damon crossed the room and stood next to Elena. "I'm sorry. But I'm okay, it's what counts right?" he whispered without looking at her, turning slightly to kiss the side of her head before facing their stunned audience.

"And now we can continue," Damon said, eyes boring into Katherine, "No. Way. In. Hell. Did you get that? We are NOT going through your scheme because there's no need anymore. I'm back. So, if your little plan is really just a renegade rescue mission then kill that idea right now. Or is it time for your true intentions to surface now? You just want to use Elena so you can finally get rid of your worst enemy? I have to admit, kind of brilliant, something about killing two birds with one stone, doesn't it go something like that Katherine?"

"You don't understand Damon," Katherine said sharply

"Oh, I do. Your 'old friend' explained to me pretty clearly all the magic that surrounds this doppelganger mystery, emphasizing the salient points with a slap to the face or a punch to the gut," Damon said narrowing his eyes, "I _know_ but that doesn't mean I'm going to fall for your plan. No. The only way you'll get to her is through me and Stefan. Right? Stef? I don't like the sound of your silence. Stefan!"

Stefan shook his head, torn as he avoided looking at either woman in question, "Damon, what if it's the only way to end all the madness?"

"Uh, yeah, because Elena will be dead. Doesn't get any more final than that," Damon pointed out sarcastically, "Just for once can you listen to your older brother? Stefan? Your living breathing girlfriend will cease to exist and we'll likely be left with remnants of her in the form of this evil psychotic bitch. Answer is still no, Katherine."

"It won't be long before he finds us. Whatever you did to him, it won't be enough. It's only a matter of time Damon. Don't be foolish." Katherine said, her lips drawn into a thin line

"She's right," Alaric said, "I was the backup plan in case Katherine wasn't able to convince everyone else of the plan. Isobel said the magic in those bullets won't hold. She gave them to me as per instruction from Katherine if anything were to happen to the two of you, I was to use them and run before he even dropped to the ground. He'll be weak for a while but even she isn't sure how long. It was only enough to buy us some time."

"And you believed that backstabbing liar? Alaric, have you learned nothing from being around us? You don't trust our kind. Not even the supposed good ones who seemingly lost the capacity to speak. Stefan!" Damon called out rounding on his brother, "Don't even think about striking a deal with her. I can practically see the wheels turning in your mind and I do not like the direction they're going in."

"Damon, he got you out didn't he? It's enough to trust Katherine, even a little bit. If we do this, we help her kill Gregory then we can have her gone for good. She won't have any reason to come back for Elena." Stefan said

Damon closed his eyes in exasperation and held a fist in front of him, visibly counting in his head before speaking again, "Stefan, if you stick around, the crazy curly haired version will _always_ come back. Straight haired version will _always _have to look behind her and wonder if bad perm job is following her. No, Stefan, better if we just set Katherine loose and have Gregory follow her straight into the heart of Antarctica, where they can _both_ freeze to death."

"You talk too much Damon, shut up," Katherine said pressing a hand on his side, seeming to know exactly where his wounds were, squeezing tightly making him cry out in pain, "there much better. Now, I believe Elena should get a say in this. After all, Gregory will be chasing after you too, and everyone else you love simply because you carry a part of me in you. Remember, he's out to get Katerina…every last bit of her, and that includes all your major organs."

Elena placed a hand on Katherine's wrist, the one holding Damon down, "Let him go."

"Not until you say the words that will save_ us_." Katherine said with a mocking grin, sensing her victory.

"Fine," Elena said, "torture him. If what you're saying is true, that you feel whatever it is that I do then I dare you to keep at it. I'd jab him a bit more to the left for the full effect, _if_ you can really stand to see him suffer when_ I_ feel like hell inside watching you do this to him."

Elena watched Katherine's jaw clench, waiting a few seconds before silently releasing Damon, who staggered backwards into her arms.

The moment she felt him against her, Elena knew without a doubt that everything Katherine had said was the truth. Not because she confirmed it by letting Damon go. No. It was because she understood in that moment what she could not let go and what she could.

Elena watched as Jeremy entered the room with a shell-shocked Jenna, whom Alaric immediately folded in his arms. She looked at her brother, with an apology and a plea of understanding. Jeremy nodded his consent as he went to help her get Damon to the couch.

"Jeremy…I—"Elena started, straightening up to face Jeremy

"Don't, Elena, don't feel guilty. Just because everyone believes it's unforgivable doesn't mean it has to be. Not if it's killing you inside." Jeremy said, "You're not betraying me. I'm okay. I can deal with it."

Elena released a long breath and embraced her brother, "Thanks."

"Damon?" Elena said turning around, brushing off the hair from his eyes, cupping his face in her hands, "You and me…we're okay. I'm letting it go because I can't lose you over it, over anything."

Damon smirked through the lingering pain, "So we're done with forever? The whole I lost you forever part…over and done with?"

Elena nodded, "Yes, with the usual warnings."

"Translation, I don't do anything stupid to hurt you anymore? I can't promise that Elena. I can only try. I'm not good. I don't deserve your forgiveness to be honest." Damon said

"Neither am I. I'm a liar, remember?" Elena said with a soft smile, "And whether or not you think you deserve it, you have it. Nothing else matters. But for the record, risking your life to protect me, though stupidly and rather blindly, makes you good and worthy of a second chance."

"Aww, that was so sweet," Katherine mocked, "and yet sounds so much like a goodbye, Elena. Coming clean before slipping into a _temporary_, I cannot emphasize that enough, coma."

Elena sighed heavily with frustration before turning to face Katherine, "I have conditions so don't get too excited just yet."

"Elena…" Damon said, his voice full of warning, "You can't trust her, even if she promises and crosses her heart. She doesn't have one."

Elena continued, ignoring Damon completely, "One, after this is all over, you leave Mystic Falls and never come back. This is not your home. It's mine. Two, you protect everyone here with your life, no exceptions. Yes, even Damon. And I mean you do it or die trying. No running to save your skin because I will find a way to make the guilt eat you from inside that you will go insane with regret that you even suggested this. And three, you let Stefan go…if he asks you to."

Katherine's face changed at the last condition, hesitating as she glanced at Stefan who looked up at her in shock.

"If you really love him, you're going to do this for him." Elena said standing her ground, leveling Katherine with a look of her own.

"He's not going to be happy with you. It's inevitable. You'll break his heart, Elena." Katherine said softly, eyes never leaving Stefan, "You've already started."

"I know," Elena said, "but you can't force him to love you…not even if it's the truth. Give him this freedom, Katherine."

Katherine took a deep breath and stretched her hand out to Elena, agreeing to her terms. "You know you're going to have to choose right? I'm not the only one who has to let go here."

Elena shook Katherine's hand, "Let me worry about _my_ life and you just work on keeping your end of the bargain."

"Okay, so since no one is pointing out the obvious, I might as well do it," Caroline said with a raised hand in the air.

"What?" Katherine said snapping, "And put down your hand, you're not in school Caroline."

"Whatever," Caroline replied, dropping her hand to her lap, "I mean we know Bonnie will do this witchy thing to join you guys and Elena will go off to dreamland while we fight Greg. Then we also know what Katherine will do when all is said and done, as agreed with the hand shaking. BUT no one ever exactly mentioned how Elena's going to wake up and be her again. Bonnie, didn't you mention that you only had enough power for the first part? So since she can't do the splitting part after, are we going to go the Sleeping Beauty route?"

"Caroline, it's magic not fairy tale we're dealing with here," Damon said rolling his eyes.

"Actually…" Bonnie started

"No way," Damon said shaking his head, "You've got to be kidding me. Impossible. I know I'm not a hero and maybe Stefan is BUT he's still not Prince Charming. None of us qualify and we don't have time to start auditions for that one. No knight in shining armor either."

"No, no," Bonnie said, "it's not like that. I mean the concept, it's similar. You have to call her out of Katherine and pull her back into her body. I'll do the original spell so both of them are sort of conscious in her head. Someone just needs to convince her to leave Katherine's body…you know, after we kill Gregory."

"Oh, should be easy then." Damon said relaxing on the couch, "She'll probably want to run the second after we're done because it's toxic inside you."

"No, not easy," Katherine said, "She's going to want to stay. Elena, it's going to feel like everything about it makes perfect sense because it's how it's supposed to be. And I will be fighting inside to keep you with me because after living such an unnatural existence, I'm going to be able to feel right again."

"I'll be fine. I have enough ties to my life to make me want it back. It won't be a problem." Elena said confidently

"Don't take this lightly Elena. You can only fight for your life if you see it for what it truly is. You have to stop lying to yourself because you will need to want it, all of it—good and bad." Katherine warned her.

"Are you backing out Katherine?" Elena challenged

Katherine threw up her hands in the air, "Your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you. Fine, Bonnie, let's get this party started. Gregory should only be a few hours out by now."

"Wait," Stefan said, shaking his head, taking Katherine roughly by the arm, "There's something you're not telling us. Out with it, Katherine."

Katherine stared at him, a corner of her mouth turning up wickedly, "For someone who claims to not care, you still know me quite well."

Damon stood up with them at the center of the room, closing off their little circle, leaving everyone else on the outside looking in. "Speak up, bitch."

"There's a time limit. Her body won't survive for so long if it's, how to put it, incomplete." Katherine said

"How long?" Stefan asked

"A day. Give or take." Katherine answered, "Her pulse will stop when the magic wears out and she's not back in her body, meaning by default, I get to keep all of me…which I'm guessing will include the boys that come with her."

The second she got the last word out, Damon had her by the neck up against the wall, before getting thrown clear across the room by Katherine.

"You didn't let me finish!" Katherine lashed out, "There's one other way to make sure she does survive but I wouldn't recommend it. Unless Jenna is ready to host a funeral anytime soon and Bonnie is up to making another day-walking ring."

"What?" Jenna said, thrown by surprise out of her silence at being addressed by Katherine.

"Is that the _only_ word you know? You really need to deal with stress better, it's making you look stupid," Katherine said cruelly before turning to Elena, "You drink vampire blood before we do the ritual. If you go past the time limit, which I'm sure everyone will fight hell and high water so you don't cross that line, then you come back as one of us—a vampire. Don't look so I-can't-believe-this-is-all-happening-so-fast on me. Elena, I'm sure it's crossed your mind or if not then someone must have told you that it should. It's not that complicated, Elena. You can't love someone who can live forever without wondering about your own mortality."

Elena squeezed her eyes shut and let out a deep breath. "I need to be alone."

Stefan nodded, "Come on, everybody out. Let's give her some space."

"We don't have time," Katherine insisted, refusing to move but Stefan gripped her by the arm and pushed her forcibly out after the others.

"You're asking for her _life,_ Katherine. We'll _make_ time if we have to." Stefan said harshly

Elena sat down and dropped her head into her hands, concentrating on her breathing for a few seconds before running her hands through her hair then resting them on the back of her neck.

"Everyone includes you, Damon. Do you ever listen to instructions?" Elena said without turning around.

"No." Damon said with a shrug, sitting down next to her, "especially not the ones that come from Stefan. They're mostly stupid anyway, and mostly not fun to do. I'll go if _you_ tell me to go though."

Elena responded by leaning on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "I'm not afraid of being a vampire. I know it doesn't automatically mean I'm a monster. I've seen enough to know it's not the case."

"Then why the long drawn out sigh and the sad face?" Damon asked nudging her gently by raising the shoulder she was leaning on.

"It's already difficult _now _to fight and do the right thing. The confusion...with my emotions, it's a struggle as it is now. _If _I become a vampire, it's going to be heightened and I might not have enough in me to stop fighting without shutting down completely. I don't want that." Elena explained with difficulty

"As your newly forgiven friend, and at the risk of being expelled from your life again, I'm going to be brutally honest—stop lying to me, to Stefan and to yourself. Elena, look, I'm not going to force the issue again. I know better now. But I need you to _admit_ whatever the hell it is that we have here is _something_ and that it's okay, I'm not asking you to choose because that's not the point, Elena."

"What is?" Elena said hoarsely

"The point is that if doing the right thing is to love Stefan, then it shouldn't be so difficult to let me go." Damon said gently, "Why are you so afraid of me that you think you'll need to shut down all your emotions just to keep me out?"

"Because I love you, in a way that makes me want to live forever—in whatever way I can," Elena answered softly, "It scares me how well you balance me out and the spin everything out of control in the next second, without making me feel for a second I'm not safe with you. I'd rather keep you out and not feel anything than know how it is to lose you. But in loving you, I hurt Stefan. I can forgive you for anything but I can't forgive myself for that."

"If you love me, then why is it that you can knowingly and willingly hurt me but not Stefan?" Damon asked fighting off his vulnerability with every syllable

Elena stood up and looked at him "You really want to know why I'm hurting you? Why, even if it's breaking me inside to not just forget everyone and run away the second you walked in that door, I still choose to not be with you?"

She took a deep breath before continuing, "At the end of this, Stefan will still have Katherine. We both know that. I'm doing this to you so because you won't have anyone. And so I'm giving you reason to still hate me while you can, and let me go. I'm trying to drive you to the wall and despise me for not loving you the way I want to so you don't live another century and a half trying to make the impossible happen and bring me back because I don't think I'll be able to. You need a reason to hate me so you can move on."

Elena looked at him, eyes glistening with the last of her unshed tears, "Damon, I love you and I won't lie to you anymore. I need you to let me go because I don't think I'll survive this. I won't."


	9. Chapter 9: And then one remained

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 9: And then one remained**

"Elena," Bonnie said, holding both of her friend's hands, "are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes, she's sure," Katherine interjected with an impatient tone.

"You're not Elena," Bonnie snapped.

"Not_ yet_," Katherine said with a wicked smile.

"I'm fine," Elena said forcefully, placing herself between the two, "Let's just get this over with."

"Okay, I'm going to need you two to lie down, side by side and hold hands," Bonnie instructed, "Oh wait, Elena still needs to drink, uh, blood."

"It's okay," Elena spoke up quickly, averting her eyes from Bonnie's, "It's done."

But in doing so, Elena's gaze landed on Damon, whose entire body was tense with conflicting fury and determination to see it through. Damon clenched his jaw, his mouth a thin line, as he shook his head at Elena and sighed.

"Last chance, Elena, say the word and you can walk away from this. I'll make sure no one follows you. That means _you_, Katherine." Damon said in a low voice.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me," Katherine said glaring at him, "Have you forgotten I _made_ you? I'm stronger than you."

"And faster, more evil and ultimately crazier," Damon rattled off, "I know. BUT did I mention that I was going to fight you mano a mano? I only said I was going to make sure you don't follow. Tsk, tsk, Katherine, apparently the ability to listen and attention to detail don't increase with age."

"Enough!" Elena said loudly, "Damon, please. I'm doing this. Just…just back off for now okay?"

Damon's eyebrows furrowed closer together, his scowl deepening, but he nodded just the same.

Elena was the first to lie down on her back, facing the ceiling as Katherine turned her head to the side, staring at her. "Scared?"

"Yes. You?" Elena said curtly

"Same as you. I said goodbye to Stefan."

"About time." Elena replied

"Are you sure you're the _good_ one because you're awfully bitchy too." Katherine said looking at the ceiling and closing her eyes as Bonnie began chanting.

Bonnie's voice grew louder, filling the entire room with the sound, the room slowly brightening steadily until light flooded it completely almost blinding them.

Elena felt her heart speed up at an almost feverish pace in time with Bonnie's words that sounded like the collective murmurs of an increasingly agitated mob. Elena struggled to stay alert, fearing the pull to go under but the power that was turning her inside out was too great and in the back of her mind, she was already thinking it wouldn't be so bad to give up.

Elena closed her eyes, giving in to the feeling of being swept away, almost losing herself until she felt a tug—the sound of laughter that both irritated her just moments before and yet drew her in, cementing her ties to the life she had every reason to fight to get back to.

* * *

"_Why are you laughing Damon?" Elena asked visibly annoyed, "I'm serious! You need to let me go…even if that means you need to hate me."_

"_I'm sorry. I'm sorry but you _really_ are getting too soap opera dramatic over this," Damon said, eyes twinkling as he contained his laughter, "Fine, I'll be serious. It hurts, it makes me angry and it's an infinite source of annoyance that you can't just admit something so obvious and simple BUT it's not enough to change facts. I love you, it is what it is. I know circumstances are somewhat dire but you _really _need to more glass half full sometimes." _

"_Damon, you almost_ died_…for good, and I probably will. I know you like to hide behind your sarcastic remarks but can you just take a look at it from my point of view." Elena said angrily_

"_Your point of view sucks." Damon said directly, "It's like watching fireworks through a peephole. It's stupid and is a colossal waste of time. I'm surprised that between the two of us, it's the vampire who is closer to hope_ful_ than hope_less_." _

_He moved to face her squarely as she tried to leave, "You really think hating you will be enough for me to move on? You _know_ me better than that. Please give me more credit. I think I earned it. This isn't like it was with Katherine, I won't self-destruct. Thanks to you, I think I've actually _evolved_ into something more mature than a lovesick teenager."_

_He took a step closer and placed his hands on either side of her face, "Elena, this is the real thing. I'm not walking away from you. I promise you I'll get you back here, as you are, whatever it takes. Even if I have to pry you out of that crazy bitch I'll do it."_

_Elena shook her head, still unconvinced, "What if I come back all wrong?"_

"_Define?" Damon asked._

"_What if I forget…things? What if I come back and I leave behind parts of me with her…what if I don't love you after this?" Elena answered_

"_Elena, we've gone from me creeping you out with fog to somewhat strangers, to the brother of your boyfriend, to enemies on account of the havoc I caused in your life, to saving each other, to friends and every other grey area there is," Damon said tracing her cheek gently with a finger, "If you forget, then it just means you give me a reason to make you fall for me all over again. Problem solved, so can you ease up on the frown?"_

"_What if I don't want you to try because I'll still love Stefan?" Elena said, sounding fearful, "What if you do something….what if you kill someone again?"_

_Damon gave her a bitter smile, "Question two, no. I don't think lightning will strike twice so I'm not going to push my luck on that. Let's backtrack to question one—not exactly the first time that's happened to me and like the first two times, it won't really stop me. I think I've had over a century of_ _practice with _that_. Yes, Elena, I'm_ that stubborn_. BUT from the tone of you're voice, it doesn't sound like you're worried about_ me and _what I'll do. Use your words Elena, get it out, purge."_

"_I don't want to _not_ love you," Elena said_

"_Wow, breaking out the double-negative. Is it really that hard to say you want to love me? Even after everything?" Damon said smirking, "Am I that despicable?"_

"Especially _after everything…I want to love you, especially after everything." Elena said seriously._

"_Then stop worrying," Damon said simply holding her by the sides of her arms, "Because I'm starting to be able to differentiate you and Katherine by the amount of frown lines on your face, you know, other than just the hair and the vixen makeup. Not a good sign for you. Breathe, inhale, exhale, come on, you can do this. Now, repeat after me—I love you, Damon."_

_Elena shook her head and glared at him playfully but followed suit anyway, "I…love you, Damon."_

"_See, that wasn't so hard, you just took a long pause but you didn't stutter. Now, let's continue—I will stop overanalyzing every minute detail until I succumb to dementia and be forced into a straightjacket even before the fun begins." Damon said rapidly, smiling mischievously waiting for Elena to follow._

"_I'll relax," Elena said with a smirk of her own, deliberately refusing to comply with parroting his words back._

"_Okaaaay, not following instructions but good enough. Let's move on—Damon is handsome, charming and simply irresistible," he said challenging her with his eyes, daring her to repeat it._

"_Damon has eyes that let me know every truth I need to know about him, whether or not I want to find out. He is devastatingly gorgeous when he tries to mask his vulnerability even if he knows I can see right through it. He is irresistible because he knows just how to make me smile even when things seem impossible."_

_Damon's mouth fell open for a split second before he snapped it closed and narrowed his eyes at Elena, "You have a problem with authority…can't even follow simple directions. It'll make you a very fun vampire to be around. Let's try one last time—I will only do this if I'm sure this is the right thing to do and if it is, then I'll trust Damon and everyone else to get me through it—without concocting any mind games in the process."_

_Elena took a deep breath before wrapping her arms around Damon's waist, resting her face on his chest, "I'm sure, Damon. We have to do this, for everyone's sake. I'm just really, really scared right now."_

"I'd _be scared if you weren't. It's normal Elena. You have every reason to be afraid. Katherine's not just asking you to jump tied to a bungee cord. She's basically asking you to freefall and trust there's a net somewhere below. Look, what can I do to dial your panic down a notch? You want Jeremy covered? I've got his back. Jenna? Got hers too or I'll get Alaric to help me out on that one. Bonnie? She can handle herself, or if she really does run out of mojo then Caroline can cover. And then the rest of us can handle ourselves pretty well."_

"_Yeah? Damon, are you sure? If you recall, I had to_ _beg for your life on more than one occasion." Elena reminded him, leaning back but not letting go of him._

"_They caught me by surprise and that's not going to happen tonight," Damon answered, "And besides, begging won't exactly work with this dude. He won't even bother listening to you since he only seems to like the sound of _his _voice."_

"_Damon…"Elena started, sounding unsure again, "Is Gregory really as powerful as Katherine claims him to be?"_

"_Yes." Damon said honestly, "I got lucky. Well, Katherine will claim I got out because of her devious obsessive compulsive plots and subplots that Alaric got there in time but I still say I must have had a four-leaf clover stuck on the bottom of my shoe."_

"_But," he continued running his fingers through her hair, "not impossible to defeat. He can be hurt, Elena. He loves her. Didn't I tell you before? Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman? It's going to spell the difference, Elena. Katherine is cunning and devious, she's going to get to him_ _physically but it won't be enough. It's going to be_ you_ who will need to get inside his head and expose his weakness so we can actually kill him. Don't get me wrong, I _hate _this plan BUT I'm going to be behind you if_ you_ really believe you'd rather not run away right this very second. I'll take you to Paris…I'm talking Eiffel Tower, Louvre and then the French Riviera on the weekends…the works, Elena. Just say the word and I'll make this a distant memory. Last chance?"_

"_To be a coward? " Elena asked with one eyebrow raised, "To not do the right thing?"_

"_To spend forever with me?" Damon asked playfully, the serious truth hiding behind his eyes._

_Elena shook her head and Damon sighed in response, pulling her close again, "Hey, I had to try. We've been going around in circles with this topic that I figured I should throw a new concept in there somehow. So, are you ready? Should I call in the troops?"_

"_Nope, there's one last thing. I need to take vampire blood…before Bonnie does her thing…"Elena said slowly, "So I don't get an anti-climactic ending."_

_Damon knitted his brows and nodded for her to continue, "And…?"_

_Elena took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes, "Can you…be the one?"_

"_Oh." Damon said, unable to form any other word or syllable._

"_Bad idea," Elena said pulling away from Damon, embarrassed she even asked._

"_No, no, no, believe me my heart's all a-flutter with this request." Damon said stopping her from leaving by placing his arms around her, "But the words surprising, shocking and maybe even outrageous come to mind and it's making me uncharacteristically cautious. Why me? Considering you have less controversial options…"_

"_Stefan?" Elena asked_

"_Caroline," Damon pointed out, "the only vampire who's not part of our little web of love and lies."_

"_No, I don't want this on her conscience. She may seem like she's shallow or something but she's new to this and I don't want to add to the list of what she has to struggle with right now."_

"_Current boyfriend also counts as a non-controversial option. Everyone expects it to be him."_

"_Animal diet, you think it will work right? He can't even compel someone right."_

"_Your evil double? I don't think the 'evil' part is contagious so you should still be safe."_

"_I'd rather eat my own vomit."_

"_So, I'm the last option, the only one that makes sense. I get that." Damon said nodding._

"_No, you're the_ only _option, and still the one I'd pick if I had a hundred more. I'm trying to say something here, Damon."_

"_Sorry, you're going to have to spell it out because I'm still stuck on the 'you want my blood' part."_

"_I choose you. Damon, I'm saying I'll come back from this for _you_ and only you."_

"_Oh." Damon said for the second time, at a complete loss for words._

_

* * *

_

Katherine tried to drown out Bonnie's voice, which had begun to transform itself into howls and screams—the same voices that begged her to spare their lives or those they loved. She felt their pain, the torture becoming almost unbearable that she wanted to run and forget everything. But she was a fighter, she always was and this was just another thing she had to endure.

She stumbled in her own mind, grasping at anything, trying to find a way out to be free from the agony. Katherine almost gave up until she felt a voice take hold of her, filling her with a bittersweet sense of peace as she listened to the voice that she would follow anywhere, even to the ends of the earth.

* * *

"_I told you so." Katherine whispered in Stefan's ears as he watched Damon and Elena, "But is it really necessary to torture yourself this way?"_

"_Leave me alone," Stefan hissed back._

"_No, this has gone on long enough." Katherine said, pulling him away and pushing him into one of the rooms, "Stefan, being nice doesn't equate to being blind and stupid."_

"_She chose wrong," Stefan said trying to get past Katherine who only pushed him back._

"_No, were you eavesdropping on a different conversation? Stefan, there was never a choice that needed_ _to be made. She loves you but she's_ in _love with Damon. There's a difference."_

"_Is that how you set me and Damon apart in your twisted mind? Don't even think for a second that everything that's happening with Elena now is just history repeating itself." Stefan said furiously, "Damon will just hurt her. It's what he does."_

"_And Elena will hurt him…then they'll forgive each other. It will go on and on, ad nauseam. You know why? Because they_ really _love each other, as in the kind stories are made of. Stefan, you have to accept that. I can't watch_ you _watch_ them _and know that it's tearing you up inside, because it kills me."_

"_What makes you think it's real?" Stefan said in a hollow voice, "that they actually stand a chance. Damon's a walking dysfunction and Elena is wrapped in her sadness unless you pry her out of it."_

"_Because I did the worst thing possible to him, I made him believe I was waiting for him and yet I was traipsing around the world while he dealt with a broken heart. But still, I didn't break him, not the way she did. And he killed her brother, Stefan, but she still fought to forgive him. If that's not love, if overcoming the impossible is not love, then I don't know what is."_

"_And you think that's what we have. You really believe I'll be able to not hate you and somehow forgive you someday?" Stefan said looking up at her_

"_Yes, because, see I was talking about Damon and Elena and yet you turned around the conversation to the non-existent_ us_ you keep insisting on," Katherine pointed out, "You're not really angry about them huh? You're just frustrated because you no longer have an excuse to keeping hiding behind what it's really about."_

"_They're not going to last." Stefan said, "Just because he can make her crack a smile every now and then, doesn't mean he can make her happy."_

"_Oh, so we're back to that. That's their risk to take, Stefan. Don't make it your problem. You really need to quit worrying about everyone else when you need to do exactly that for yourself." Katherine said, sitting down in front of him._

"_Stefan," Katherine continued, "I need you to listen to me. I know you think all I'm capable of is to turn every good thing into something you can hate. I'm well aware of what I did, what it did to you and how I turned you against your own feelings, your own truths. I turned your world upside down without thinking of the consequence. I was selfish and impulsive, putting your life a risk because I felt like it. But I'm not sorry for any of that."_

"_What are you getting at Katherine?" _

"_I'm sorry because I really do love you and I can't seem to stop, even if it destroys everything. It's the only way I know how to love, Stefan. You deserve better but this is all I have to offer."_

"_You want me to believe," Stefan interrupted, "that all this scheming for the last hundred or so years, was your way to show me you love me? Funny, I never would have guessed. Faking your own death doesn't scream I love you and I want to be with you, you know?"_

"_Not all of it, I do have a lot of self-serving motives when I do whatever it is I do. Part of losing touch with your humanity but it doesn't mean I'm completely evil. The part of me that loves you more than life itself has been fighting the need to keep running and trying to undo some of the crazy, so I can come back here and tell you that it was real. I never compelled you to fall in love with me but I did it after you did because I was so afraid to lose it because what I am was scaring you away. I wasn't brave enough to test just how much you really loved me. I realize now I wasn't supposed to. Because now I know, loving you is enough. I don't need you to love me back."_

"_That's it?" Stefan said impassive._

"_That's it," Katherine repeated, nodding as she stood up, "You're not the only one tired of all this. I'll play by the rules Elena set out, Stefan. I'll leave when this is over. I won't come back."_

"_Good." Stefan said_

_Katherine smiled at him, full of emotion, but it was replaced by the mask of complete confidence the second she opened the door to find Damon standing in the hallway, a mischievous grin on his face._

"_I was just about to knock," Damon said tilting his head_

"_No you weren't, you were listening." Katherine said moving closer to him, her face an inch from his._

"_Only fair, you two did it first. He's not good with stealth. Must be all the bunnies he keeps eating. _Dead _giveaway, that one." Damon said, smiling at his own wit, "Anyway, I was really about to call you guys. It's time."_

* * *

It was over in a matter of minutes but they all stood, waiting with baited breath, as the two bodies lay completely still in the middle of the room. Bonnie screamed and then swayed slowly until she crumpled to the ground, completely spent and unconscious.

"Bonnie!" Caroline cried out quickly rushing to the witch's side, cradling the body in her arms, instinctively checking for a pulse.

"She's alive," Caroline announced, "but her pulse is really weak guys. I can't tell if she's going to be okay. Oh God, Elena. Can someone check on her? Oh my gosh. I'm hyperventilating. Can a vampire hyperventilate?"

"Take a chill pill, Caroline. They're _both_ fine." Katherine said coldly, her eyes flying open wide. She sat up and looked around her, blinking rapidly as if she was adjusting to seeing the world around her.

"Katherine?" Stefan said, cautious as he stepped closer to her, watching as her eyes flitted randomly from one point to another, never settling for more than a few seconds.

Damon ignored them completely, moving instead to lift Elena's body off the floor but the second he touched her, Katherine spun around and flinched as if it she felt it, got burned by it.

He stared at her, waiting for her to back down or to just say anything. But she simply looked back at him, completely still, unnerving him with how familiar the expression was in her eyes—one part he wanted to forget and then the one he wanted desperately to hold on to.

Damon blinked and turned to Stefan, "It worked."

"Good. Saves me the trouble." Gregory said from the doorway that was blasted away, the regal vampire framed against the moonlight, "I have one less person to torture and kill. Welcome, Katerina, to the beginning of your _end._"


	10. Chapter 10: Sleep to dream

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 10: Sleep to dream**

Katherine immediately took a defensive stance, stepping subtly between Gregory and everyone else, blocking his path to them.

"Damon," Katherine said without taking her eyes off the intruder, "put Elena down and stay behind me. Do it, Damon. You too, Caroline."

Damon began to protest but Bonnie opened one eye and took hold of Elena's hand, giving him a nod of assurance. He looked apprehensive but he took Caroline's arm and pulled her away.

"How nice, you were even kind enough to gather everyone you love in just one room." Gregory said calmly, stepping inside the threshold and facing all of them, lingering on each face as if selecting which one to kill first, "So many futures to destroy, which one…which one to start with…"

"I'm right here, Gregory," Katherine said, equally stoic, "You want _me._ Here I am."

"Yes, yes," Gregory said waving her words aside, "You most certainly are here. But, I still need you for something, for later, you understand."

"And what would that be," Katherine said, mirroring the step he took, instinctively keeping herself in front of Elena's body.

"Well," Gregory said smiling at her, "I didn't expect that you'd have so many people you care about considering when I last saw you, you were a murderous wench. So, I'm going to let you choose, which one will go first—the aunt or the brother?

"Neither." Katherine said suddenly lunging for Gregory, who sidestepped her cleanly, appearing bored as he watched her whirl around with a feral look on her face.

"Alright, I'm a fairly reasonable man. Let's go a notch lower. Since they're already unconscious anyway, might as well start with them. Who will it be Katerina—the witch or your other self?" Gregory asked benevolently.

Katherine didn't respond, regarding him angrily but not attacking him. Gregory stared at her, his head tilted, a small smile gracing his face as the seconds passed.

"Ah, my Katerina, my heart aches to finally see _you_ and not the shadow that Alastair brought home, absolutely breathtakingly beautiful" he breathed, "but stubbornly uncooperative. _I_ shall choose then. Since you have no need of the extra body, we will dispose of it first."

Gregory was crouching at Elena's side in an instant, the same second that Jeremy broke rank and ran to his sister.

"Elena! Nooo!" Jeremy yelled only to be pulled back by Damon, who shielded him from the blow of the monster that appeared. It roared angrily, its muscles coiling underneath its thick, black hide, its red eyes glowing with fury as it stood taller than anyone in the room.

"You've angered my pet, young man" Gregory said, standing up, leaving Elena for the time being, "You go next."

Damon was sprawled on the floor, clutching his chest from the impact of the hit, "Jeremy, stay back or I will break your bones myself."

"Damon, it's Elena. We can't let him-"Jeremy reasoned as Damon stood up in the blink of an eye and pinned him against the wall.

"You can and you will or I swear I will knock you unconscious to keep you from getting killed. I promised your sister I will protect you." Damon said through gritted teeth

"Even at the expense of _her_ life, Damon?" Jeremy challenged

Damon clenched his jaw, ignoring the question, "You're not dying on my watch. Not this time. Back. Off."

Behind them, Gregory applauded, eyes glinting with malice, "I'm impressed….with how far you've fallen Damon. You could have had the world at your fingertips. And yet you choose to be the hero you will never be. Such misguided selflessness. You could have been _me._"

Damon turned around, "No, thank you. I never aspired to be desperate and delusional."

The monster growled as it crouched on all fours ready to pounce, prompting Damon to place Jeremy securely behind him.

"You really shouldn't be so rude, it angers my pet." Gregory warned, "You're more like me than you think. You love the same way. Everything you do is driven by it. But what sets us apart is that…_I _have nothing to lose. Not anymore."

With that, Gregory went to grab Elena but he wasn't fast enough. A solid wall of light surrounded Bonnie and Elena, enclosing them, protecting them. Gregory howled in frustration, directing the monster to break down the defense but the creature bounced off without even placing a dent in the shield.

In the moment of distraction, Katherine exchanged a look with Damon and Stefan. She began to move closer to Gregory, keeping Stefan in the corner of his eye as he tried to smuggle Jenna and Jeremy out of the room, while Damon moved to close in on the monster.

And then Caroline froze, her head snapped back with eyes wide open in fear. Her mouth was open in a silent scream as she was slowly lifted off the ground by an invisible hand. A blast of cold air shot through the room, encircling them with a wall of ice, trapping everyone inside.

"Ah, Katerina, you're not playing the game right…letting me make all the choices of who to kill? If you want someone dead, say the name. Don't try and turn the tables on me or this will go faster." Gregory said menacingly

"Let her go," Katherine said moving closer to Caroline.

Gregory tightened the invisible leash on Caroline after Katherine took one step, "You never did like rules, my dear, but this time you're going to have to follow. Take another step and her head comes clean off her body."

"Okay, okay." Katherine said palms up, "I'm backing away."

Gregory released Caroline, allowing her to drop to the floor with a flick of his wrist, and she coughed as she hit the floor trying to crawl towards Stefan.

"Good. Now, tell the witch to stop whatever it is she's doing." Gregory ordered, "Or the humans will feel how it is to literally have their hearts explode inside their chest."

"Bonnie, drop it." Katherine called out but the witch was acting on instinct and could not really process what was happening. Bonnie was protecting her friend and was focused solely on that, completely ignorant of the additional threat Gregory posed, "Bonnie!"

"Too bad." Gregory said without any remorse and proceeded to choke both Damon and Stefan from a distance, showing them exactly how his power was beyond what they had anticipated; "Now _they_ have to pay, Katerina. I'm sorry but you're going to have to live the little left of your life without them."

"No! No! Wait!" Katherine cried out, sounding frantic than her initial unruffled beginning, "_Please._"

"No." Gregory said, tightening his hold, doing the same to everyone else in the room, creating a captive audience to Katherine's dissolving composure, "Such a beautiful shame that you had to get back your humanity. Now you can't even try _not_ to care as I drain the life out of every single one of them. Did you get it back because you thought I was capable of pity? Is that the power you think that other part of you had? To elicit compassion?"

"What do you want?" Katherine murmured weakly, tears silently falling on her face as she watched Stefan slowly lose consciousness, a battle the humans were losing faster, "What do you want that I can give so you stop this madness? You want me broken as I watch them die? Mission accomplished. You want revenge for Alastair? You want me dead? Fine!"

"I wanted you to love me!" Gregory yelled, losing his own calm, "But you were too caught up in Alastair's ill-conceived plot to make you what you are that you never noticed all _I've _done for you."

Gregory rounded on her, his face an inch from hers, "You didn't meet that witch by accident, or that daughter of yours didn't simply appear by some lucky twist of fate—I orchestrated all that. I wanted to free you from your pain that you carried with you but I wanted to leave you with a shred of passion alive in you, so you could love _me_. But you were _never_ supposed to kill Alastair."

"I can never love you…like I never cared for your brother. He murdered my family!"

"No," Gregory said with his eyes flashing, "_I_ did. Alastair tried to stop me, too weak to do what was necessary to rid you of your baggage. But I had not the patience to wait for you to realize on your own that _this_ is what you've always been meant to be. You were too precious for mortality, but your human limitations prevented you from even seeing that. I had to push you, make sure you hit bottom so that you'd be renewed and you'll see how much better life can be as one of us. I almost had you, you were begging for release…I just had to kill that infant and you would have cut your own ties to that world, so that when you were turned you would automatically shut down all your emotions on your own, without magic. But Alastair, my poor brother, was in love with your human self and wanted to preserve it. He _saved_ your daughter and took you for himself."

"He should have just let me die!" Katherine exploded, "It would have been kinder to have let me die."

"No. It would be kinder to let the Salvatore brothers die now." Gregory declared with every sense of bitterness possible in him, "Your love is like poison. It corrupts and destroys from within. I watch them now and I see how much they want to _save_ you, thinking if they do so you'll return that to them, even if it's already tearing them apart. Their bond, my Katerina, doesn't stand a chance against you. Because human or not, you don't know how to love, to truly give yourself to someone and trust them with your heart. That's why it never lasts Katerina, isn't it? Why every man in your life always has an expiration date? Why you could never choose…because deep down you don't want to. Because you're too focused on saving yourself from the hurt since your first love died."

"Let them go," Katherine said with steel in her voice.

"No, _you_ let them go," Gregory said forcefully, "and the game stops, only _you_ will die tonight. I've decided I pity them, for falling prey to your charms. They never had a chance and now I choose to give them one—_if _you decide to die in their place. What will it be, my love?"

"Katherine, no." Stefan managed to get out in a strangled voice, meeting her eyes, pleading with her, "There are no guarantees. It's not worth it. We're not worth it."

"Ah, Stefan, the _nice _brother, so much like Alastair," Gregory said smoothly, "Are you saying that Katerina save herself and let the rest of you die? And here I thought Damon was the anti-hero. Choose Katerina, your life or theirs."

"You promise you won't hurt them…after?" Katherine said, sounding more like Elena than ever.

"I do but you won't really know, wouldn't you? You will just have to trust me," Gregory said sensing his victory.

"Will you answer me one question?" Katherine said to Gregory as she turned towards Stefan, whose eyes still tried to reason with her, then to Damon who looked at her with restrained rage.

"Of course," Gregory acquiesced, "A final gift to you."

"Why did you love me? I want to know." Katherine said, staring at Damon, willing him to understand her intent, "Why did you ever fall for me?" she continued, turning this time to Stefan.

Gregory looked taken aback, stunned to momentary silence. Katherine closed her eyes and repeated her question, "Why did you love me?"

"I still do." Gregory whispered, "You don't remember but I do. You were alone one day, picking flowers, and you fell, looked around then laughed loudly at yourself. Never, to this day, have I heard something so beautiful, so pure. I wanted to know you, understand how it was you kept your innocence in a world that in my eyes was filled with so much darkness. I wanted to be part of that world. Or bring you into mine, with the hope that you would make it better, make the curse feel bearable."

He looked at her tenderly before continuing, "You don't remember how I was the first one to save you."

"The snake..." Katherine said whirling around, her eyes glossed over remembering her human past.

"Yes," Gregory said with a distant voice, "Everyday you came back to that place, as did I. I watched you as you moved about without a care in the world and then I heard you scream. It pierced through me. I felt your fear, your pain. Both exquisite yet I only recognized the horror that your humanity meant I could lose you before I even knew you. I went to your side and already you were in a daze, the snake's venom already coursing through you."

"You bit me, I felt it," Katherine whispered, her fingers flying to her mouth.

"I sucked the poison out, cleaning your blood."

"I felt it—the relief. But there was something else...I was so confused but I'm sure I felt something else…"

"Power. Your first taste. I made you drink, a few drops of my blood. I wasn't sure I had healed you. I wanted...I wanted you to live." Gregory said achingly, looking at Katherine who took steps towards him.

"Why?" she asked

"Because you said thank you. Such simple words, yet in all my life, before I turned and after, you were the only person who recognized I was capable of something like that. It was like you saw beyond the monster. You saw the man, you saw _me. _It meant the world to me…I…I wanted you to live." Gregory said, his voice softer, losing its edge

"And now you want me to die." Katherine said bluntly, "Unforgivable evil wench, am I not? The murderer. I've lost her, right? You don't see that girl anymore when you look at me. In your eyes, I'm covered in the blood of your brother. I'm the girl who went through this world with selfish intent, blinded by self-preservation and the need for blood. Not the girl you saved, not the girl you loved."

"Yes." Gregory answered with his face blank, unreadable.

Katherine nodded, defeated, "So what next? What do you have left to live for?"

"Nothing, Katerina. But it won't be enough to save you, because I didn't have one to begin with. You will die tonight. I will kill you."

"No," Katherine said shaking her head, "_I _will kill you."

In a flash, Katherine threw off the monster against the wall of ice, which whimpered as it crashed hard on the ground. Katherine took Gregory by the throat in a crushing grip. His eyes widened in shock, feeling her power radiate through her as Katherine tilted her head and smiled.

"I don't think you'll be needing this, you barely used it anyway," Katherine said plunging her hand into his chest, taking his heart out swiftly. She watched him the light leave his eyes as he went limp in her hands.

Katherine flung the body to the side and whirled around to see everyone fall to the ground as the ice vanished around them. She listened to each of them sputter and struggle to breathe. She felt Bonnie release the barrier over her and Elena. Relief flooded Katherine, so much so that she almost missed the movement from the monster she left for dead.

The beast lunged straight for Elena's motionless body, sensing the perfect prey for retribution, for the master they had killed. Katherine was quick, absorbing the shock and crumpling to the floor on impact. Immediately Damon and Stefan were on the monster, immobilizing it before moving in for the final kill. It took less than a minute but the damage was done.

Katherine lay beside Elena, her body twisted in an odd angle, blood blossoming from her shattered skull.

"Why is she not healing?" Caroline cried out, "Bonnie! Help her! We might not get Elena back! Please! Do something! Bonnie, wake up!"

"Caroline," Stefan said gently, "Let me have a look. Come on, let me check on her. Go, try and wake up Bonnie."

Caroline nodded, watching as Damon and Stefan surrounded Katherine, both seemingly waiting for a cue on what to do. Jenna ran to Elena's side, followed by Jeremy, trying to shake her awake by calling out to her.

Bonnie awoke with a gasp, clutching Caroline as she struggled to get a hold of herself. "Bonnie!" Caroline said frantically, "Please, Katherine is bleeding all over and she's not healing. She's a vampire and she's freaking not healing. Do something, please. Elena's not waking up either. Please."

Bonnie nodded and went to Katherine, placing both palms over her head, chanting faintly as the blood cleared around her as the wounds closed. She stopped after a few seconds, looking confused.

"It's done. She's healed. Why isn't she up?" Bonnie said, panic rising in her voice, "I don't understand...Why…Why?"

In a flash, Damon was at Elena's side, taking her body from Jenna, cradling it against him, "Elena, wake up. Dammit, get up. Get out of Katherine. It's over. Heinous villain is dead. We're all okay here, just please get up. Please."

"Damon," Stefan said with a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head, "we have to wait. It must be happening, whatever it is. That's why Katherine won't wake up. Let her go. She'll come back to us when it's time."

"No. I. Can't." Damon said through gritted teeth, "She has to come back. She has to come back _now._"

Damon lowered his head and whispered heartbreakingly to Elena, "Please. Elena, _please_. I _need_ you. I love you."

He lifted his eyes, expecting her to open hers after he spoke, hoping his voice was enough.

But there was nothing. She didn't move. It was like Elena wasn't even there.


	11. Chapter 11: Hours, minutes and seconds

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 11: Hours, minutes and seconds**

_16 hours left_

"I haven't forgotten what he's done Elena," Bonnie said, holding Elena's hand as she sat by the bed, "but I can't help but believe he really loves you."

They had moved Elena and Katherine into one of the bedrooms of the Salvatore boarding house. They lay asleep, peaceful and no traces of the chaos that led to their comatose state. Bonnie gripped Elena's hand tighter, and tried for the hundredth time to will Elena awake only to find no magic is strong enough for such a feat. Silent tears fell down Bonnie's cheeks as she spoke to Elena once more.

"I don't know if you somehow heard it, or something, but Damon...he protected Jeremy, even if it meant risking your life. For once, I saw him put what someone else wanted before his own selfishness. You bring it out in all of us, Elena. Whether or not we want to hear it, you're the voice of reason that pulls us back from crossing lines we should run away from." Bonnie murmured softly to the peaceful Elena.

"You have to wake up, otherwise who's going to stop me from killing Damon?" Bonnie said with a tearful smile, "I'm close to darkness, Elena, and I can't shake it. You've seen it...how I can lose control. I need you to keep me sane and remind me I'm not that kind of person. I need you. _We_ need you."

_12 hours left_

Caroline crept slowly into the room, shutting the door softly behind her before pulling a chair in between the beds, facing the wall instead of the two women who lay still as death.

"Oh wow, she's still scary even when she's asleep," Caroline whispered, taking a deep calming breath before continuing, "Here goes. Katherine? I don't know if you can hear me...I hope you can. I don't have anything to threaten you with to add weight to my request but I'm asking anyway. You killed me, so I think you owe me this. If Elena isn't waking up because you're holding her hostage or something, then please let her go."

Caroline smiled and turned to look at Elena, "There aren't many people in this world who will keep putting up with neurotic and insecure best friends, and a vampire one at that. Katherine, she saved my life and kept Damon from staking me. So now I'm begging for her life. Please, if you really meant what you said about her being your good, kind, human side then you know the world needs someone like her. Please, let her go."

She paused, waiting if it would work but they remained unmoving. Caroline sighed and moved closer to Elena, clutching her hand, feeling her pulse.

"Well, you're still here, Elena, and I feel your blood flowing...not that I want to drink or anything. I wouldn't...you know that right?" Caroline said, "Look, Elena, you need to wake up. Please?"

Caroline smiled and continued, "You know you've got two hot boys waiting for you—that's got to be a good reason to open those eyes of yours right? But I have to warn you, from personal experience and all, Damon's a jackass. But Stefan, he's really, really nice. I bet the bunnies and squirrels even volunteer to give him blood since I'm guessing he asks nicely before he...you know...drinks. Damon, on the other hand, uses and abuses anyone as if there's no tomorrow."

She sighed resignedly, "BUT I'd have to be blind not to see he's trying so hard to change. I'm not saying the jackass is completely gone but he's fighting it...for you. You have to admit, it's pretty sweet. Romantic even. It helps me believe, not soon but that someday, I'll be able to be a better, uh, vampire... for Matt."

"See, Elena, you're not going to want to miss Damon winning Most Improved Vampire of the Year," Caroline pleaded, "Or me getting back together with Matt minus the drama queen moments. With psycho Greg dead and since Katherine will inevitably book herself a one-way ticket out of town, we can be normal teenagers again...well, for the most part. Please, Elena, we've got a whole future to look forward to. You can't miss it."

_10 hours left_

"Is this how it felt when you were waiting for me to wake up?" Jeremy asked quietly from Elena's bedside, "It sucks."

"I hated you for the secrets you kept and for thinking that you were protecting me by not telling me the truth. Sometimes I still do, you know? Because you're always still trying to decide for me, thinking you're keeping me from danger that way when you can just let me help you. I'm younger Elena, but I'm not a kid anymore."

Jeremy closed his eyes and pulled Elena's hand to his forehead, speaking as he did so, "I'm not Uncle John, but keeping me in the dark won't help me from eventually become like him—an ignorant fool who hates things he doesn't understand. He doesn't get that all this stuff about vampires and magic isn't black and white. There's so much grey that it's hard to tell between good and evil...but it's not impossible. And nothing is absolute. They're like me—they fall, they get up and they move on. They ask for forgiveness. Sound familiar, Elena?"

He let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair, "I'm sorry, for making it difficult for you since Mom and Dad died. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to be better but I'm getting there. I'm learning. But I still need my sister. You have to wake up...please."

Jeremy stood up, opened the door then looked back at his sister's sleeping form, "Don't be afraid to forgive him, Elena. I know you already _said_ you did, even admitted you loved him but I know you. There's still a part of you that sees things in black and white like everyone else in this town, the council. Wake up, please, and take the risk to see the world for what it is...maybe then you'll truly understand why you want to forgive Damon completely even when it doesn't make sense. And just maybe, you'll understand me too."

_8 hours left_

"I'm letting you go." Stefan said quietly to Elena, his back turned to Katherine, "so you can wake up and not be afraid of hurting me when you find comfort in his arms and not mine. I'm letting you go, even if it hurts, because I still love you."

"It doesn't matter what Katherine said. I don't believe what we felt for each other was just a remnant or a shadow of what we had years before. I know the truth, Elena. _We_ were real. I can feel the truth in that." Stefan whispered with his eyes unfocused and empty, "I didn't spend time with you because you reminded me of Katherine but because you reminded me of what it was to want to wake up every morning and see the future as something more than an endless abyss. You reminded me what it was like to be human but Damon was right though, you're the closest I'll ever get to it. Being with you allowed me to feel again, to love again."

"And I'm setting you free because of that." Stefan said heavily before continuing, "Damon...he doesn't know how to love, at least not the normal kind. You should know that by now. He has a twisted sense of reality and of love that you're going to have to work to keep him from getting too lost. Even if I don't believe he's the man you need, he's the only one I'd ever trust with your safety. Not because he's strong but because at the end of the day, I do believe he loves you."

Stefan smiled sadly, "Do you still remember the night we opened the tomb? We didn't find Katherine then but I think we opened the path to history repeating itself, only this time someone will get a happy ending. I still remember how you called out Damon and got him to come out of the tomb, then how you wrapped your arms around him outside. It wasn't pity. I know that now even if I didn't see it then. You wanted to take away his pain, share it just so he wouldn't have to be so broken. You always tried to fix him or get him out of getting killed, how many times I don't think I'll ever really know but I know that if you wake up now, you'll really save his life."

"Your life isn't the only one on the line here, Elena," Stefan said, "If we lose you, then the Damon who fought to be a better man will be lost forever. He won't come back from this. So, if not for me, please, wake up for him."

Stefan stood up and placed a kiss on her forehead, "I'm sorry, Elena, because I didn't love you as I should have. I spent so much time convincing myself you're not Katherine that I almost missed to know _you, _Elena, and now I'm too late. Be good to Damon, when you wake up. He's much more fragile than he seems, sometimes more than you."

_5 hours left_

"I have two guesses why you're still not up," Damon said leaning back into his chair, arms crossed in front of him, "One, you're waiting until the last possible second so that between now and then I get so worried I promise you everything—sun, moon, stars and everything in between. Or two, you're really lost in there and I'll check-in permanently at the heartbreak hotel."

He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Elena, we can't end like this because our story so far only has the tears, fears and bloodshed. We need _some_ fluff written into it and that won't happen if you're in a coma. It takes two for a happy ending, Elena...don't leave me hanging."

"Katherine," Damon said loudly, "I know you're eavesdropping anyway, so listen up. You're an evil, selfish and manipulative bitch. I hate you. But as much as I hate to admit it, you didn't completely ruin my life because you made it possible for me to live to this day and figure out I do have a heart, though it doesn't beat. Give me back my girl, Katherine, and I swear I'll forgive and forget."

Turning back to the woman in front of him, Damon ran a finger down her face, much like he did before he even learned he could love her, "Elena, I promised you I'll get you back, even if you insisted that you won't be able to. I need you to be wrong, Elena. If you really love me, let _me_ be right. Then for the rest of our lives, I'll be the one eating all my words, okay?"

Damon closed his eyes as he took her hand and placed it over his heart, remembering the last time he felt so desperate and she called him out of the darkness of the tomb with just two words.

"Elena, _please_."

_2 hours left _

"You think pouring a glass of ice water on their heads will do the trick?" Damon asked his brother who sat on the opposite end of the room by Katherine's bedside.

"Damon, they didn't stay up all night partying or something and are just sleeping in. It's the spell that's doing this." Stefan pointed out.

"_Magic_ ice water then?" Damon tried again, sighing has Stefan gave him a pointed look.

"This is driving me crazy," Damon said aloud, standing up to pace, much to Stefan's amusement.

"What?" Damon spat out, glaring at Stefan.

"Nothing," Stefan said innocently, palms up as he smiled, "You do realize that's supposed to be _me _right? That role you're playing? The worried boyfriend? And you're supposed to be the calm one, waiting another hundred years for Katherine to come around?"

Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother and sat down but his right leg still bouncing with impatience, "Your point?"

"It's not going to be easy, Damon. _This_ is just the tip of the iceberg. You're going to have to learn to live with the fear of losing her every second of each day."

"I _know_. Loving someone tends to alert one to that possibility, even if one is _not_ the boyfriend. I'm not an idiot, Stefan. But now that you've pointed it out, why _are_ you a vision of serenity?"

Stefan chuckled softly, "One of us has to keep it together and my diet makes it easier for me to be the one, so..."

Damon raised an eyebrow at his brother, "Wrong answer."

"She's going to wake up, Damon. Both of them will. Katherine will, well, because she's proven herself impossible to get rid of. And as for Elena...she drank your blood didn't she? She's coming back, one way or the other." Stefan said, "Don't look so shocked, Damon. Of course I know about that. You two weren't exactly whispering when you discussed it. She chose _you_. I know."

"Elena chose _me_ not my lifestyle. She deserves a chance to choose this life without the added pressure of a madman wanting to kill her. If she wants to be cursed with fangs and insatiable bloodlust, then fine but not like this, not _now_. And Stefan, I'm not shocked that you know. I'm just stunned by the fact that you're not fighting for her, challenging me to a duel to the death or something. Or are you just _that_ happy to find out that I don't have a hollow chest?"

"I love her enough to not make this difficult for her."

"Just like that?" Damon asked incredulously, watching Stefan nod matter-of-factly, "Have you forgotten your entire speech about history won't be repeating itself as far as Elena is concerned?"

"Yes. Will it help convince you if I tell you I'm doing it not just because I want to respect her choice but also because somewhere in the middle of this I realized just how thin the line is between love and hate?" Stefan said staring at Katherine, his gaze softening as he watched her sleep.

Damon was silent for a minute, observing his brother, before clearing his throat to speak, "You never looked at Elena like that—like there's a secret that only the two of you know. Angry, upset or happy, I just realized you always looked at Katherine like she held all the answers."

"What did you see when I looked at Elena?" Stefan asked lifting his head to meet Damon's eyes.

"Longing—even if she were right in front of you, it was almost like you saw her as something out of reach. I assumed it was because of her humanity but apparently it's something else." Damon paused, debating whether to continue.

"Look, Stefan, Katherine never compelled me. I was stupid enough to fall for her all on my own. But _you_," he said shaking his head, "she messed you up that you can't even tell fact from fiction anymore. Let's simplify, shall we? Any form of compulsion washes away when you turn? Correct? Precisely why sweet little Caroline decided to see how far she could throw me the night she got out of the hospital—because she remembered every despicable thing I did to her and made her do. So, if Katherine really compelled your love, then wouldn't you have been free of her a long, long time ago? If it really was just a mind trick, then why do you look at her now like you remember her kiss? Believe me, Stefan, if you don't care and if you hate her like you say you do, then why the hell are you on _her_ side of the room?"

"This was the only empty chair when I got in." Stefan responded.

"It's not nailed to the floor, Stefan. You can move it or better yet you can just stand. You are also free to leave the room. No one asked you to watch over her." Damon said

"Someone should." Stefan said closing off completely and ending the conversation.

The brothers watched in silence, listening to the ticking of the faraway clock as they waited for a miracle that one of them was slowly losing faith in.

_5 minutes left_

"Wake up, Elena." Katherine said staring at her double.

"Later. I'm still waiting." Elena said simply.

"So is everyone else. You heard them. Hell, _I_ heard them, talkative bunch. Stop torturing people who care about you. Wake up." Katherine insisted.

"It's only a few more minutes, they can wait." Elena said, her tone unchanged, "How about you? What's stopping you?"

"You. I'm not waking up until you do. I'm going to make sure you don't suddenly decide you want to stay here forever." Katherine said

"Why?" Elena asked, tilting her head.

Katherine smirked and raised one eyebrow at Elena, "It's the least I could do for breaking his heart—give back his girl. Call it an apology if you will, for the last century and a half I allowed him to hope for nothing."

Katherine sighed heavily, "Just wake up, Elena. There's no hurry to turn into a vampire now."

Elena looked surprised, "How did you know?"

Katherine rolled her eyes, "Elena, what other reason would you have to be here and just listen to them when you're perfectly able to wake up at will, if you aren't counting down the expiration of the spell and you'll wake up undead? Seriously? You do realize there's no rush? You can wait a few years, age and we'll finally see how I'll look if I ever got the chance to get older."

"And look older than Damon for all of eternity? Thanks but no thanks." Elena pointed out.

"Fair enough," Katherine conceded with a smirk.

"I have to do this_ now_, Katherine," Elena whispered, "before I lose the courage to not walk away because loving him scares me."

Katherine gave her a tight smile, "Because you're putting everything on the line and you've got everything to lose."

"Exactly." Elena said in agreement.

Katherine blew out a deep breath, "Trust your love. Being one of us is a curse not a solution. If you love him, then just go with that and nothing more. Figure the rest out later but for now, it's going to be enough to keep you from running from what's real. Hurry, you only have seconds left. Wake up, Elena. He's waiting for you."

_5_

"What makes you so sure?" Elena asked.

_4_

"I'm not. But you don't have to be sure to know it's worth the risk." Katherine replied

_3_

"I'm scared. You?" Elena said, an echo of the conversation before the spell was cast.

_2_

"Terrified," Katherine replied

_1_

Damon and Stefan turned at the same time when they heard the sharp intake of air behind them, punctuated by a loud gasp and eyes flying wide open.

Elena stared back at them, hand over her heart and mouth hanging in shock as tears fell from her eyes.

And then after the longest most agonizing second of the day, they all heard it.

_Beat. Thump. Thud. _

Elena's heart was unmistakably beating.

* * *

_**A/N: One to go! **__**Thanks to all of you who have been following this story and I hope you stay with it to the end. Thanks for all the reviews...as always, I love hearing from you **_


	12. Chapter 12: Full Circle

**Take a chance on me**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.**

**Chapter 12: Full circle**

"Quit it with the fog, Damon. Not scary. It's not even amusing. I can't see what I'm writing." Elena called out, rolling her eyes.

"I'm the dead one and I don't even like this place, yet you're drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Why?" Damon said pretending to be annoyed as he sank to the soft earth next to her.

"It's quiet. Annoying vampires don't tend to frequent the cemetery." Elena said without looking up, continuing to write in her journal.

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment since it's an improvement over 'psychopath' and a rose away from 'tolerable.'" Damon said dropping a single red rose on the page she was writing on, looking at the distance but keeping Elena within his peripheral vision as she smiled and sniffed the flower.

Elena sighed and leaned on Damon's shoulder, "It's not that I like it here—I don't, as hard as that may be to believe. But I need to come here and be reminded I _can't_ pretend they're still here. I can't go through each day imagining they're just on vacation or that when I go home, my parents will suddenly be there. This—looking at their headstones, is my reality and I just need to remember."

Damon wiped a tear as Elena continued to speak, "They're missing so much, Damon. They weren't here for Jenna's wedding and they won't be here for the birth of their niece or nephew. They haven't seen Jeremy's sketches or the awards he's won for them. They didn't see him get over his difficult phase and somehow become a rock I can depend on. They missed how I faced so many things I never even imagined existed, fight my way through heartbreak and come back to this world whole. They're missing you in my life, Damon, and how I'm better for it."

"But missing them, means you don't miss out on everything else," Damon pointed out gently, "Your father...he made sure you were saved because he wanted _you_ to see all this. He would rather see you battle through this with the people they left behind, plus a few vampires thrown in the mix, than be six feet under."

"I know," Elena said sighing, "It's just hard...too hard sometimes, that I wish I could shut if off."

"One of the reasons why you almost chose to woke up a vampire?" Damon asked, turning to look at her, one eyebrow raised.

"You knew? You knew that's why it took me so long?" Elena said surprised.

"Not at first, my mind was busy with processing the fact your heart was beating to even think about anything beyond it."

"So how did you know?"

"Katherine."Damon replied simply.

"But she practically flew out the window even before I managed to get a word out." Elena said confused.

"She paused right before she jumped out the window, looked at me and nodded, as if to tell me she did something for me and we were even." Damon answered

"So?" Elena said trailing off, her confusion deepening the frown on her face.

"I wanted you back human—warm, oxygen-needing and with a pulse kind of alive. Come on Elena, can you deny that Katherine stayed behind, healed as she was, just because she agrees with me that you're not the worst company in the world? Or she stayed to push you to wake up before the final buzzer because she knew I needed you back, the way you are now? This was her apology, Elena. I_ know_." Damon said with a tired smile.

"You would have had me back either way, Damon. Another second and..."

"And you would have had to move away because people here, who've known you since you were in diapers, will notice you're not getting older like Bonnie, Matt or all the Bradleys in this town. You'll miss everything you said your parents just did and we both know you don't want that. You have family here Elena and for as long as I can, I'll make sure I can keep you here. You need them and they still need you. Don't get me wrong. We're still looking at forever, Elena. I'm just saying eternity can wait awhile until you're ready...in a decade or two or three." Damon finished with a smirk.

"You think it's wise to keep me human that long when I'm a magnet for trouble?" Elena said smiling as she stood up and held out her hands to pull Damon up.

"Two years tops, then." Damon said putting an arm around her as they walked out of the cemetery, "This town won't survive a day over that, considering the rate you're going with bringing in supernatural badness into Mystic Falls."

"Deal," Elena said extending her hand to Damon to shake on their agreement.

"Deal," Damon said, his expression softening as he held on, "But just so you know, I'd rather become human again than turn you. If I could, I'd rather grow old with you, have kids and do the whole white picket fence thing."

"Don't do that because you think it's what I want." Elena said, stopping in front of his car, pausing even as he held the door open for her, "I fell in love with _you_—the extremely dangerous, rarely ever serious, mostly annoying, sarcastic and witty vampire. I love you, Damon, not for what you wish you can be but for what you are now."

"Ah, be still my non-beating heart," Damon said placing a hand over his chest before leaning in to kiss Elena softly on the lips, "I love you too, Elena."

* * *

"Ow, that's my foot," said a voice that sounded like Caroline from behind the door.

"SHHH!" hissed another voice that sounded like Bonnie, "They're right outside. Be quiet!"

"OWW! I'll be quiet when you stop stepping all over me!"

"Will you _both_ just stop moving around...and keep quiet."

"Uh, technically saying keep quiet so many times isn't being quiet." Jeremy pointed out.

"Oh, just shut up!" Caroline shot back.

Damon looked at Elena quizzically and pointed at the door, whispering theatrically, "I'm a vampire. I can _hear_ all that. Seriously."

Elena just shrugged and tried to look innocent, pretending to search for her house keys in her bag so she didn't have to look at him. But Damon reached out and pulled her chin up with a finger and gave her a pointed look, "What's going on?"

"Oh my God, do you _want_ to kill my toes?" Caroline said loudly, cutting through the 'shhhh-s' and 'be quiet-s'

"They're already dead, now be quiet!" Bonnie hissed again.

Damon shook his head and took a step closer to her, reaching behind her and lifting the key chain dangling from her back pocket, taking the opportunity to whisper in her ear, "Does Jeremy plan on burning down the house with the match he just lit or is he lighting a candle on a cake?"

Elena looked up at him guiltily, "The second one."

Damon shook his head, one corner of his mouth turned up in amusement, "How did you even know?"

"I'll explain later," Elena said as she took the key from him and slid it into the lock, "Just play along first okay?"

Damon pressed on the door preventing her from opening it, "Tell me how you know and I'll go inside, gasp and widen my eyes in faux surprise."

Elena clutched the door knob, kissing him out of the blue, loosening his hold on the door before whispering in his ear, "Stefan called."

She yanked the door open as Damon stood with his jaw hanging open, even before everyone yelled.

"Surprise!"

"Happy birthday, Damon." Elena said with a smirk, kissing him on the cheek as the vampire remained speechless.

* * *

"Why are you out here?" Elena asked Damon, handing him a piece of cake, "Party is inside, Damon, not here."

He shrugged but took the cake and patted down the seat next to him, "I like your porch. It's the stage for a number of unpredictable, and mildly horrific, moments in my life. Freight trains I never saw coming. At least tonight, I'm _pretty_ sure I kissed the right girl."

"Pretty sure?" Elena asked, halfway between amused and jealous.

Damon pressed his lips together, trying to keep a straight face, "Curling iron got away with you today."

Elena glared at him and playfully punched him on the shoulder as he laughed at her. "Seriously? That's the only way you can tell us apart? By the _hair_? "

"Well, not the _only_ way...there's also the clothes. She likes the kind that's tight enough that she can maximize the benefit of vampires technically not needing to breathe. On the other hand, you...like rubber shoes. I'm guessing it's because you always need to run from the monster of the week."

Elena frowned, almost pouting like a child, as she continued to glare at Damon sideways.

He shook his head and carried her chair, with her in it, so that she would face him. "I'm kidding. I might have been slow before and kissed her by mistake but I'm fairly sure I can tell you apart now even if you were both vampires."

"How?" Elena said her voice full of doubt.

"Ah, trade a secret. You tell me exactly what Stefan said when he called, after all this time of radio silence, and I'll spill my guts on the thing you want to know." Damon said triumphantly, leaning back with his arms crossed as he watched her.

"Fine, he told me it's your birthday." Elena said, "Your turn."

"What? No, I don't think he picked up the phone in a different continent just to say 'Hi, it's my brother's birthday. Just a tip, he loooves surprises. Thrown him a party and shock him senseless.'"

"What do you want to know?" Elena said exasperated

"Has he found her yet?" Damon said in serious voice, losing all the humor in his voice.

"No." Elena said tightly.

"I can't blame her for not wanting to be found. They have an eternity to play hide and seek anyway." Damon said pulling Elena on his lap, pressing his face on her shoulder as he closed his eyes, "But I pity Stefan. It's not like the last century and a half of her games was a hoot. It's hard to still be playing a game without rules or any end in sight for that matter."

He shook his head at the realization, "She's running because doesn't know how to be happy—not the kind that lasts anyway. Katherine...she makes a game out of other people's happiness, even her own, that when it's finally within reach she runs away thinking it will hurt less if she loses it on her terms than to have it taken away."

He sighed and looked at Elena as she twisted around to face her, "That's how I can tell you apart, Elena. You're not the kind to walk away even when you should. You should be running from me considering how dangerous I still am and yet you're still here with icing on your cheek. Katherine...she's roaming the world with no direction other than away from the one person who never stopped loving her."

"But she said she came back _for_ him. She kept insisting that Stefan loved her not _me_. It doesn't make sense for her to run." Elena said wiping her face as Damon smiled playfully as he handed her a napkin.

"When did that bitch ever make sense? Half the time she was scheming and the other half she was queen of the cryptic. She's running because this time it's real and if it doesn't work out she's got nothing left—no more vengeance, no more evil plot to rule the world. It's just her, Stefan and the possibility of a broken heart. Believe me Elena, even for a vampire it's not easy to close yourself off to that emotion."

Damon took a deep breath, full of indecision that was settled in a matter of seconds. He lifted Elena, amidst her protests, and helped her stand up, "Let's go. They can party without us."

"But it's your birthday—" Elena protested.

"And I'll cry if I want to but in this case I'll just leave early cause I want to. Come on, let's go. Or do you want me to wait until you're asleep and whisk you away. I find that very effective." Damon said with a mischievous grin.

Elena huffed but led the way to his car, "Where are we going?"

"A trip down memory lane," Damon said grinning wickedly, "what a beautiful disaster it holds."

* * *

"I've been here before..." Elena said looking around the ruins bathed in moonlight, "This is where your old house used to be right?"

"I'm impressed. You actually remembered something from what I can only assume is one of Stefan's patented lectures about the Salvatore family history. I always fell asleep when he started on those things. Living through it was bad enough."

"This is where he hid your ring...when he locked you up in the boarding house." Elena said following him as Damon weaved his way through the rubble.

"Huh. And here I thought he put it in a bank safety deposit box or shipped it somewhere. I guess he is my brother if he thinks this is a good hiding place." Damon said walking straight to the single pillar that was still upright before facing Elena.

"Just to be clear, I'm doing this for Stefan and not for that bitch. I still hate her guts _but_ my brother's happy ending is dependent on her so I'm going to let it go." Damon said as he pressed on the pillar so that it tilted to the side and the bottom was partially lifted off the ground, "See those two envelopes, Elena? Can you get the one labelled Stefan?"

"Okay," Elena said reaching out for the envelope only to find her name on the other one, "Wait, the other one is for me."

"No, leave that there," Damon said abruptly lifting his hand and letting the pillar fall back in its original position.

"Hey!" Elena yelled, yanking her hand, almost crushed under the weight of the stone, "What did you do that for?"

"You didn't follow instructions—I said get the Stefan envelope not the Elena one. And don't act all hurt, your hand was already out by the time I let go. I think. I'm pretty sure." Damon pointed out, snatching both from her hand.

"Hey, give it back! It's mine!" Elena said trying to get it from Damon's outstretched hands.

"Not yours. _Mine_—_I_ wrote it. Well, not the one for Stefan because Katherine wrote that but this one," Damon said waving the envelope with her name on it, "it's mine."

"Damon," Elena said with a warning in her voice, "What is in that?"

"This," Damon said gesturing to Stefan's envelope, "is the key to my brother's happiness—Katherine's letter to him when we went looking for Gregory thinking we wouldn't make it. Just in case it was her last chance at the truth. I'm guessing whatever is in here will help him find her."

"How would you know?" Elena asked suspiciously.

"She writes slow...I took a peek over her shoulder after I finished mine." Damon said shrugging, "The last part was her imagined life with him and _where_. My guess is she's there now so brother dear can just buy a one-way plane ticket and it's happily ever after for them. It's not an address, mind you. It's some cryptic thing they talked about before, blah, blah, which he can figure out, yada, yada. It's probably romantic but well, considering it's Katherine it could also be a trap."

"After you finished _your_ letter...to _me_?" Elena said not missing what he said, "I want to read it."

"Uh, no." Damon said stuffing one envelope in his pocket and ripping the other one to pieces, "There problem solved. No more Elena letter."

"Damon!" Elena said angrily.

"Technically, I never gave it to you. I just wrote your name on it so it's not yet really yours. Why are you so mad over it? For all you know, it could have contained a confession from me that I've been lying to you all along and I have this grand scheme to burn this town to the ground—you included."

Elena scowled at him, crossed her arms and sat on a rock, refusing to look at him.

"What do you want it for? There's no need for it now. I'm not going anywhere, I don't intend to." Damon said but he was only met by stony silence.

Damon looked at the sky and breathed heavily, shaking his head as he sat down next to her, handing her a piece of paper—wrinkled but otherwise intact.

"Here. I ripped the envelope to bits but I took out the letter first. See this is why you're better off human—I never would have been able to pull that off if you were a vampire and could see how fast I was moving." Damon said.

Elena looked at him as she took the letter in her own hands and began to read.

_Elena—_

_Don't you find it amusing that for someone who hates me and finds me unforgivable, you still find ways to save me? I guess you had to fail someday. It's just ironic that it happens when I'm the one trying to save yours._

_If Gregory, Katherine's insane almost brother-in-law or almost ex, is the one who ended me, run and never look back. He's bad news. He's me plus Katherine times a million kind of bad. Stay away._

_On the other hand, if Katherine did this to me, then feel free to exact revenge on my behalf—if you're up to it. If not, I will allow you to dance on my grave with Stefan. Bring Bonnie, Jeremy and even Caroline. Make an event out of it. I owe you that much._

_I'm missing the point of why I'm writing this, so I'll get to it. It's simple._

_I'm sorry—for hurting you, hurting the people you care about, placing you in danger and not saving you about half a dozen times when I should have. _

_Thank you—for saving my life when everyone else wanted or thought I should be left for dead. I'm only able to see goodness because you believe it's in me. _

_I love you...too. I heard you say it the day I left. I just thought I'd say it back, even if it's only in a letter. I have a lot of reasons why I do but they don't really matter now, do they? Answering why I love you is pointless if our story ends before it starts right? So let's just leave it at that. I love you. Full stop._

_Goodbye, Elena. I tried to be the hero but I guess it's really not in me. _

_Damon_

Elena didn't realize she was crying until she saw the marks on the paper she was holding and she felt Damon's arms envelope her as he whispered soothing words in her ear.

"I'm right here, Elena. I hate to say it but I told you so—do not read it. It's pointless anyway." Damon said quietly to her, "Hey, it's my birthday, I'm the only one allowed to cry. Please? It's the first time I've actually celebrated it and was happy about it so can we not rain on the parade?"

Elena turned to him, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was never the favorite son. I did have parties but it was more for show than my father actually caring it was a special day," Damon answered, "Good job on changing the topic. Smooth but not smooth enough. Will you please tell me what's going on in your head—I'm a vampire not that Edward guy, aka the mind reader."

Elena laughed through her tears, "You _can_ live forever but you're not invincible. Being a vampire isn't a guarantee you'll never die. You're just a notch above human frailty but barely. I almost lost you, Damon."

"Almost—meaning it didn't happen and it doesn't count. Elena, fold it up and keep it in your pocket. Now, look at me," Damon said staring into her eyes, "Thank you –for taking time to see past the obvious hotness and the evil tendencies. Not many people do that so they always just see the vampire. I'm sorry—I will apologize till my lungs collapse for what I did to your brother and every other hurt I caused in your life. You've forgiven me, I know, but I'm just not done with the remorse. I love you—because I do. And that's it. No goodbyes and no tears. I'm right here, Elena. All you have to do is forget that letter and believe we have a future together."

Elena placed a hand in his, "Am I gonna be safe with you?"

"Yes." Damon said smiling, remembering the first time they had this conversation.

"Will you promise not to do that mind-control thing with me...and to not run off to get yourself killed without a proper goodbye—face to face, not some letter you leave on my nightstand? Will you promise to let me love you?"

"Yes."

Elena took a deep breath, "Can I trust you?"

The corners of Damon's mouth twitched as he tilted his head at her, "Just kiss me."

Elena smiled and looked away but Damon pulled her into a deep kiss that took her breath away. A kiss that whispered to her heart a promise of undying love, endless possibilities of heartbreak and unimaginable happiness, that words will never be enough to say.

-fin

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for all those who read this story all the way to the end. Hope you enjoyed it. :) P.S. Thanks for all the reviews. I love reading them :)**


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